It Started in Dreams
by NeutralShooter
Summary: Sam can't escape the dreams of his past life where he was more then the human he is now. This and the fact he seemed to have Gabriel as his husband leave him confused and a bit on edge. Add on the fact his brother and Cas are gone, in purgatory, Bobby's dead, and all Sam can do is look for a way to resurrect Gabriel to get the answers he needs. (Full Dis. Inside. AU.)
1. Chapter 1

**Thanks to Kahuri from Tumblr who is the co-author of this story and plays mostly as Sam, Dean, and Castiel. I hope you all have as much fun reading as I've had writing it!**

Full Description:

___Bobby's dead, Cas and Dean are in Purgatory, and Sam keeps on having strange dreams about a man who looks crazily like the trickster, but doesn't act a thing like the man that Sam used to know. For one thing in the dreams the trickster is kind and loving towards Sam; which makes no sense to the younger Winchester as they were all but enemies up until 10 mins before the angels death at Lucifer's hands and didn't exactly get along. Then there is the fact that Gabriel constantly refers to Sam as "Siege" or Sigyn in a fond tone as if no one meant more to him in that moment then 'Sam'. Over time the dreams always leave him longing for the being he had once proclaimed to hate, as well as confused as why he is always this Sigyn. Unfortunately the one being that could answer his questions is over 2 years dead which leaves Sam with the daunting task of trying to find a way to resurrect the long dead trickster angel in order to get the answers and the love he has begun to so desperately crave._

~An RP between myself and the wonderful Kahuri from Tumblr~

**(I don't own supernatural nor anything close but I now own a pretty new laptop to type fanfiction on so enjoy!)**

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The rain was coming down in torrents as Sam dragged himself out of the Impala towards the latest hotel in a long string of hotels. It had been two weeks, three days, and 12 hours since he had last seen Dean and Cas as the Leviathan dragged them to purgatory along with him.

Everything seemed dark and gray the last few weeks since he had seen his brother. He was truly alone for the first time in his life. Before he had always had someone to rely on when he needed them but with Bobby dead and with Dean gone he had no one, plus on top of that, there were the dreams that had started cropping up. Dreams that starred a certain dead trickster angel treating him like he was the most important thing in existence. They had started the second day of his solitude and seemed to start as soon as he closed his eyes in exhaustion from the latest string of hunts.

Nodding towards the receptionist Sam barely glanced her way aside from noticing that she was definitely one his brother would have chat up with her long black hair, blue eyes, and shapely frame she screamed Dean's type. Smiling lightly as the woman, Grace, he noticed ironically, bat her eyes at him Sam hurried off toward his room. Locking the door behind him he fell on the bed barely even remembering to kick off his boots and shrug off his coat before allowing his eyes to close and letting the dreams he knew were coming take him in.

When Gabriel first left Heaven and hid himself away as Loki he had been content with just dealing out well deserved justice and not having to feel the emptiness in Heaven that came with Lucifer's absence and Michael's anger. He believed it was all behind him and, for a while, it was. At least until he met her: Sigyn, a Norse goddess with long silver blond hair and gentle gray eyes. She was everything he could want: kind, sweet, witty, and though many thought her submissive she could easily hold her own in any fight. He couldn't stop himself from falling in love with her and eventually after a lot of romancing, a little pleading, and a bit of trickery they were married.

In that marriage Gabriel found himself falling for her even more. When the other gods had him captured and bound, murdering his and Sigyn's twin boys in the process, she was there catching the venom they were using to poison him in order to save him from more pain. She stood loyally by his side through the good, the bad, and even after she found out he was an angel still she was faithful to him. That's why when she was murdered by one of Gabriel's own siblings he swore never again. He closed his heart to everyone and lost himself in his task of hunting other's misdeeds to distract himself from the hole she left in his life.

Gabriel was able to manage for a long time after that too. Never staying too long, never getting attached to anyone. Then just by chance, or so he thought at the time, he found the reincarnation of his late wife. She went by Angrboda then, a feisty frost giant warrior who looked nothing like she did before. Despite the long black hair, piercing amber eyes, and blue skin the love and loyalty she showed him was still there just as strong as before. So, though he tried to stay distant she drew him in a way he couldn't resist. When again their relationship ended with both her and their sons dying something in Gabriel broke. The only thing that kept him from completely loosing any shred of love and morality he had left was their daughter who he had been able to protect by hiding her away in the Norse underworld.

Then came the Winchesters. He could tell exactly what they were the moment he saw them, but he couldn't figure out just why Sam's soul felt so familiar. He chalked it up to the fact that he was Lucifer's vessel and left it alone. Once he let them go at that college he assumed that would be that and went back pranking jerks to sooth his pain. It wasn't until he was in a ring of holy oil with Sam was giving him _that _look, not of pity but of understanding and compassion, that Gabriel realized exactly who the giant Winchester really reminded him of. That was why giving his life for the knuckleheads wasn't a hard choice. He wasn't going to let one of his brothers take her away again, not when he could stop it. The only thing he regretted was not being able to tell Sam the truth.

Coming awake with a scream lodged in his throat Sam sat up, quickly checking that all of the salt lines were intact and the angelic seals remained unbroken before slumping back down onto the bed. He couldn't stop a few tears from falling at the dark images he had just witnessed.

Up until now all of the dreams had been happy and warm, but currently he felt as if his heart had been torn from his chest. Visions of Gabriel tied up in his son's entrails and poison dripping into his eyes from a giant snake danced behind his eyelids drowning out any other thoughts.

Why was he drawn to the trickster so much? He didn't know, but with every passing night his longing to grab the archangel, hold him tight, and never let go kept on building until it was all he could think of. Which, in the end, just brought more pain when Sam reminded himself that the man was almost three years cold.

Taking a shuddering breath Sam once again sat up pulling his duffel bag closer so he could go through the spell he had created that he hoped would revive said trickster angel. If anyone could answer his questions, Gabriel could, and even though it had only been just over two weeks he couldn't take another moment of silence or isolation if he could help it.

Digging through the contents of his bag, he gathered the ingredients the spell had called for and mixed them in a bowl with his own blood.

"What is it with blood always being called for?" Sam mused to distract himself, and cast the spell. For all he knew this could easily kill him but he found he couldn't really bring himself to care. After all, with his loved ones gone it wasn't like anyone would care.

Gabriel took a deep breath wondering why he was laying on the floor before everything that happened came back to him and he sprung up, nearly crashing into Sam in the process. Spinning around trying to see his back and wings he finally plopped down on the bed.

"I was dead..." He muttered out loud before finally realizing Sam was in the room and straightening up. "I hope you're not just bringing me back to clean up your mess again. What happened anyway? Did you guys do it? How long have I been gone?" Gabriel fired off at Sam before pausing with a thoughtful expression, "and where are our bros? I never see you guys apart." He questioned a bit more calmly.

Sam stumbled back as the angel sprung up and spun around. He had done it! The spell had worked and he wasn't dead! "Gone, they're both gone. Trapped in Purgatory. And it's been almost three years since we ended the apocalypse." Sam spoke in awe unable to believe that he had actually brought Gabriel back to life. "You're really here? This isn't some sort or dream?" He finally asked still shaken up from his previous dream that evening.

"Purgatory? How... You know what, I don't want to know right now. Yes, I'm really here though it's sweet to think you're dreaming of me. I hope they've been good ones if you know what I mean." Gabriel said with a smirk and a wink before noticing what the lack of sleep had done to the young Winchester "You don't look like you've been sleeping at all though. Too busy trying to bring Deano back to get any rest, right? That's why you brought me back isn't it? I'm sorry to say this but even archangels can't just pop into purgatory whenever they like. I can't fetch them for you." He said with a little frown.

Sam shook his head at Gabriel's words, it was just so like the trickster, before shrugging at the angels comment on not sleeping. "I'll sleep when I'm dead. Besides if I slept you wouldn't be here now, plus monsters rest for no one." Sam commented not mentioning the dreams and the questions that were just begging to be answered, at least not yet.

Gabriel smirked at Sam's attitude and gave a little chuckle before deciding to relax on the bed, his arms behind his head. "True enough. So what are we going to be hunting this time? Spirit, demon, maybe a ghoul? Whatever it is I'm sure it'll be a piece of cake now I'm here." He commented snapping himself a lolly pop and shoving it in his mouth before relaxing again.

"You've been back less then five minutes and already a sweet tooth?" Sam commented with a smile before sitting beside the trickster on his bed. "I'm actually in between cases at the moment; not to inflate your already huge ego even more then it already is, but returning you to the land of the living has been my priority these last days."

Relaxing against the headboard beside the trickster Sam closed his eyes smiling as a more happy vision of his dreams flashed before his eyes rather then the nightmare of this evening. He didn't know how to breach the topic of his dreams with Gabriel. He only hoped that he would figure it out sooner rather then later.

Gabriel chuckled as Sam settled in next to him. "I haven't always had a sweet tooth you know. One of my Ex's was a real health nut, like you, she never let me eat candy willingly. She was always worried about me for one reason or another. She said it'll make me fat." Gabriel said a faraway look in his eyes as he remembered Sigyn yelling at him for sneaking a candy bar before dinner one night.

"Sounds like my kind of lady. She was right you know it will make you fat." Sam teased without opening his eyes surprised at how easy and right this all felt. "What was she like? I'm just curious." Sam asked a few moments later wondering about this person who would worry so much about a trickster. In Sam's mind it would take a very strong being to truly love someone like Gabriel, despite how close to being in love with the angel he was already, and he didn't feel very strong at all at the moment.

Gabriel snorted but couldn't help but smile at the memories brought up by Sam's words. He debated whether to tell him anything for a moment but one look at the kid's patient expression and Gabriel huffed "She was... stubborn, and bossy. She was the kindest women I've ever met but I knew better then to let myself be fooled by that. You get her angry or mess with someone she cares for and she'd rip you to pieces. And on top of everything else she was beautiful too, straight down to her soul." Gabriel said drifting back to the memories. Then he shook his head clearing them away already knowing how the story ended. "She died protecting me. One of my brothers captured her while looking for me and... She refused to say a word. I did what I could but it wasn't enough to save her." Gabriel said sadly.

Sam opened his eyes when he heard that Sigyn had died protecting the angel, his eyes filling with sympathy for a shared pain. He knew the loss of a loved one far to well. "I'm sorry for your loss. She sounds like she was an amazing woman and judging from the tone of your voice you must have really loved her, must still really love her." He apologized. Ignoring the jealous tug at his heart for what Sigyn still held even in death, Sam reached over and squeezed the angel's shoulder in a companion show of understanding."I know what it's like to love and lose someone for no other reason then because they loved you back and I wouldn't wish it on my worst enemy." Sam continued thinking of Jess and how Azazel killed her for no reason other then to get Sam's attention back on him and hunting.

Gabriel sighed and nodded. "Yeah, it was a long time ago. She wouldn't have wanted me moping." He said then gave Sam an appraising look. "Okay, I told you my story now you get to tell me exactly why you've been working so hard to bring me back from the dead if not to fetch Deano for you. Don't think that I'm not grateful, but you had to have had a reason other then to hear about Sigyn. Don't try to lie either." He said giving Sam a stern look.

Blushing at being put on the spot, he _had _wanted sooner rather then later, Sam looked down at his hands before speaking. "I've been having these dreams ever since Dean and Cas were lost with Dick Roman, the head Leviathan. At first I thought they were just that, dreams, but they're so vivid. You're always in them and I.."

Sam blushed again at that admission before clearing his throat and carrying on recalling every dream and every instance the trickster called him 'Siege' or 'Sigyn' right up until tonight's nightmare involving Gabriel being tied to the tree with the snake, shuddering as the image flashed before his minds eye and his heart clenching not only at the thought of Gabriel being chained, but also knowing that his children had been slaughtered to bind him.

Gabriel was surprised when Sam blushed at his question, but it was nothing to the shock of finding out Sam had been dreaming of everything that had ever happened between him and Sigyn. Then when Sam mentioned his latest dream Gabriel paled considerably. "I'm sorry you had to see that. I- your dreams are because- the dreams are your past life leaking through to this one. Why they started now, I don't have a clue, but I should be able to stop it. You shouldn't have to deal with any of that. It was bad enough having her there suffering with me and what they did to..." Gabriel's hand tightened into a fist before he took a deep breath and slowly released it. The hurt was tangible in his eyes. "There is nothing I can do about it now. I'll fix you up and then you don't have to deal with me again. I'll talk around maybe I can find someone to help you get your brother back. I'm sorry you've been suffering because of me." He stated.

"Fix me how? There is nothing wrong." Sam stammered as Gabriel told him that these were memories and that's why they were so clear; then something clicked. "Wait if these are memories then does that mean that I was Sigyn, that she is me? Impossible! Why now? Why not when I was in the cage or when Lucifer possessed me?" Sam questioned more to himself then the angel beside him; though it would make tonight's nightmare make more sense and explain why it affected him the way it did.

Gabriel sighed. "I can stop you from having any more of the memories. That's what I meant by fix you up. And yes you are a reincarnation of Sigyn. I don't know why the dreams started now, I don't know why they started at all. I didn't even realize you were her reincarnation until just before I went and got myself killed." Gabriel said his voice trembling slightly. He stood up and started pacing. "You shouldn't remember anything. After I stop the memories I'll have to leave. I've already caused you enough pain as it is!" He growled before continuing to mutter under his breath.

Sam stared at Gabriel as he paced. The archangel looked seriously upset at the thought that he was hurting Sam. "What if I said no? If these are my memories, be it a past life or not, they are mine. What if I want to keep them? Besides... I didn't revive you just to have you disappear again." Sam spoke conviction in his voice.

Shocked though he may be, he had learned from the best at keeping his emotions hidden, and it rankled the younger Winchester to no end if there was something he didn't know- particularly if it involved his own life.

Gabriel paused in his pacing to look at Sam. The hunter looked half dead from exhaustion and definitely didn't seem to be at the top of his game, yet the determination in his eyes as he spoke was exactly the same as hers always was. Gabriel wasn't sure whether he wanted to smite the kid or kiss him and it was driving him up a wall. "I can't stop the memories unless you want me too, free will and all that, but that doesn't mean I'm going to stay here with you." Gabriel said slowly. He didn't think Sam understood how torn he was about this.

On one hand Sam was everything Gabriel could want- the exact same person he had already fallen for, twice! And it would be so easy for him to do it again. He could have another chance to do things right, fix the mistakes he had made before.

On the other hand Sam was a completely different person, a person that Gabriel was sure still hated him for all the suffering he's caused, not to mention how infuriatingly mortal he was- hunter or not. If Gabriel did let him in then there was a high chance for him to have his heart broken all over again.

Then there was a tiny part of Gabriel that liked Sam as that completely different person and didn't want Sam loving him because of Sigyn's memories. It wanted Sam to care for him for his own reasons.

Sam sighed and closed his eyes for a few minutes thinking over his words and what he really wanted; he could tell that the angel was conflicted- how could he not be when he was talking to the reincarnation of not only a lover but his wife.

This went far deeper then a simple lover. Sigyn had been with him through everything: the good and the bad. They had even had children together and Sam couldn't deny he wanted to learn more about the man the angel had been, could probably be again if he let himself.

On the other side, however, did he really want to possibly lose who he was as the memories came back to the surface?

Opening his eyes again and looking over at the angel in front of him he found he couldn't deny him this, and he couldn't deny that he wanted to know the truth, besides he always had hated people hiding things from him and if he allowed Gabriel to suppress his memories again that's exactly what it would be doing.

"Sorry Gabriel, but no, I want to keep them. They've obviously started coming back for a reason and while I don't know what that reason is yet, it has to be important if they're coming back now; besides I've always hated it when people kept things from me." Sam shrugged smiling lightly hoping to put the angel, and himself, at ease.

Gabriel nodded understanding Sam's reasoning and, focusing on Sam's smile, made a decision of his own. "Okay, fine. Like I said it's your call. And I guess since your keeping the memories I should offer to answer any questions you might have." He spoke feeling a bit calmer since he made up his mind on what he was going to do. "And I guess I'll stay... At least until I figure out a way to bring our brothers back from that wasteland." He mentioned as he sat back down on the bed, still a little unsure.

"Well, let me just say right now, even if I never regain any other memories of our past, I strongly dislike your Norse family. Who could do that to a child? And speaking of children... what happened to the others? I know simply from reading about your time as Loki that you had at least three more." Sam commented concern in his tone for those that up until now he had never given a second thought to other then in myth and legend.

At the mention of his children Gabriel flinched but after a moment began to speak, "After what happened to Narvi and Vali, the twins, I ran, like your brother said, I'm a coward. The kids mentioned in the myths: Fenrir, Jormungandr, and Hela weren't born until I hooked up with Angrboda a couple of years after Sigyn died, despite what they say about me cheating on her. I tried to convince Angrboda to hide them, that they weren't safe, but she didn't listen to me. She thought we could protect them ourselves. They were still young when Odin and the other gods decided they wanted to start the end times. I managed to save Hela by sending her to Helheim but Fenny and Jormungandr were killed before I could get back to them. I- they didn't deserve it. They were just kids, and though it may be hard to believe they never hurt anyone..." Gabriel said his voice breaking a bit. He paused for a moment before continuing, "I visit Hela when I can. She's a bit like Dean personality wise. You'd like her." He finished giving Sam a weak smile.

Sam blanched at the news of the children's deaths. "I'm sorry I asked. I didn't mean to bring back bad memories for you. We brought you back maybe we can find a way to bring the children back too. No one deserves that to happen to them, particularly not children." Reaching over Sam pulled Gabriel to him in what was supposed to be a reassuring hug designed to comfort both of them.

Gabriel let himself be comforted by Sam and couldn't help but give a half-laugh half-snort at the thought of Sam helping him bring his children back. The image of two little light haired boys arguing over a TV remote while Sam tried to peacefully mediate between them sprung to mind.

"Remind me not to introduce Hela to Dean, then. One of them is enough for anyone. Then again... maybe it'll make him make a move on Cas if he thinks he has competition." Sam said and chuckled at the thought of a female Dean hitting on Cas in front of his brother, all the while going through every spell and ritual he could think of to save the children.

The kids had been dead for centuries and for all he knew the time allotted for resurrection had expired. Simply finding the spell that had resurrected Gabriel had been lucky and a true shot in the dark. That and he had no true tie to Fenrir and Jormungandr that he knew of, but if it would make the angel smile again like he did in his dreams then it was worth a shot. Besides what did he really have to lose?

Gabriel couldn't help but smile at that. "He should be more worried about her stealing his car. And pie. She might hit on Cas if it'll freak Dean out though... I definitely have to take you to meet her." Gabriel said lighting up at the thought of his little girl. "She's surprisingly bubbly for having to deal with dead people all the time. Always smiling, She's the only one I honestly think I haven't failed miserably. She probably would have smacked me by now for thinking her brother's deaths were my fault. Then she would rant at me about how I did everything I could and their mom should have listened." Gabriel said his normal smirk sliding onto his face for a moment before fading. "She's probably worried sick, what did you say it's been? 3 years? The longest time I've been between visits was 3 months." He said thoughtfully.

Sam laughed outright at the mental image that crocked up at that. Nobody touched the impala and stealing his brothers pie was like signing your own death warrant in his brothers eyes. "I would honestly pay to see that; I can imagine the look on Dean's face if she tried. She sounds like a lovely girl though different from what I had expected from reading the myths. Yeah, she must be worried it's been 3 years give or take a month or two."  
The sight of his usual smirk brought a smirk of his own to Sam's lips it was good to see the trickster smile again. Somehow the sight of a frown just didn't sit right on the angel's face. "Maybe you should go visit her and let her know your back. I don't plan on going anywhere, save getting a few hours of sleep. I'll still be here when you get back, and if I'm not, it's not like you couldn't find me no matter where I ended up." he muttered with a shrug.

Gabriel smiled a pure honestly happy smile at Sam's words and nodded. "I think I will. I'll be back in the morning with breakfast." He said joyfully before giving the hunter a quick hug and disappearing to go find Hela and let her know he was alright, his mind already going through people who might be able to help get Dean and Cas out of Purgatory and spells that might be able to bring Jor and Fenny back. He had never thought that he might be able to resurrect them. He had been too hurt by their deaths, and too busy with Hela, to think about them for any long period of time. But now he felt hopeful for the first time in a very long time.

Sam smiled at Gabriel's happy expression surprised at the quick hug not even having time to return it before the trickster was gone again with a comment about being back with breakfast. "Nothing too sugary sweet!" Sam teasingly called to the empty air hopeful that somehow Gabriel would hear him before turning and heading towards the bathroom to get ready for bed.  
Fifteen minutes later Sam was showered, changed and ready for bed and for once actually looking forward to dreaming of 'Siege' and Loki now that he knew they were his own memories they didn't seem quite so daunting and unreal. Sending a silent prayer to who ever was listening to watch out for Cas and his brother as well as for luck in finding the spells to bring the children back, Sam closed his eyes and let his past life over take him once more.

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**Please review, it makes me super happy and lets me have something to brag about to my brother when he's being annoying.**


	2. Chapter 2

The next morning, when Gabriel appeared in the motel room, he was in an exceptionally good mood. He dropped the food he had brought on the table and sat in a chair nearby to wait for Sam to wake up. He had a lot he wanted to tell the hunter and he was hoping the whatever dreams Sam had had that night were as happy as his night with his daughter had been.

Sam slowly came alert, which was unusual for the hunter who normally woke at the drop of a dime, when the noise of the food being sat down reached his ears. Smiling and chuckling at his dreams Sam sat up wondering if that was that really how they ended up married. It was just like the trickster to pull a fast one even on their wedding day. "Morning Gabe. Have a good night with Hela or did she threaten to send you back to her realm for disappearing for three years?" Sam chuckled as he stretched in bed looking over to where the trickster sat keeping vigil.

Gabriel returned Sam's smile and laughed glad that Sam seemed to have gotten a good nights sleep this time. "A bit a both, actually. She was upset at first but after I calmed her down she was glad to hear that you brought me back and said she'd be happy to meet you sometime. I'm just glad she's okay. I didn't know if something might have happened to her while I was gone." Gabriel admitted. "I also talked to a few friends about getting into purgatory and from what I understand it is impossible unless you can get Death to open it himself. But... There is a way for humans to escape from the inside, a portal or something. It's all up to Dean whether he gets out or not." Gabriel added a bit more seriously.

"Nice to know you care. I see. If there's one thing I know about Dean is he's resilient. If he knows about the portal he'll find a way to get to it. Death, on the other hand, might be a different story. It was Dean that Death seemed to like, not me. On a different note, tell me, did our wedding really happen the way I dreamed it happened?" Sam asked eager to know his mind wasn't playing tricks on him. He moved to the table to dig into breakfast grinning at the chocolate chip pancakes smothered in syrup. Typical trickster.

Gabriel blushed a bit at the mention of his wedding, and the way Sam said "our" definitely didn't help but he just rolled his eyes. "It depends on what you dreamed happened..." He said slyly, purposely avoiding the question as Sam began to eat his breakfast.

Sam smirked at the newly returned memory, it bringing him nothing but amusement and a slight longing for the angel in front of him that he knew wasn't all caused by his returning memories."You shifted into the form of my arranged betrothed so that we could wed regardless of what my old family wanted. I must say, if that's really what happened, well played Lokes." The old nickname slipping off his tongue as if he had always been using it.

Gabriel smiled a gentle smile as the same memory flashed in his mind but the nickname left him a bit off, hearing it in Sam's warm tone rather then Sigyn's soft voice. Still, the humor and joy that always enveloped it was the same. "Well, I wasn't going to let you get away so easily, and it was most definitely worth it. It was still one of the best days of my existence despite pretending I was someone else." Gabriel chuckled happily.

Sam blushed at hearing that the trickster wouldn't let him get away but said nothing more of the fact, instead eating his breakfast and trying to hide his enjoyment of the sweet confection. "Mine too. I can't believe that they wanted me to marry a man five centuries my senior! Talk about marrying my father." Sam fake shuddered "so thank you for saving me once again. Another complete change of subject, any new news on how to resurrect the kids? Or do I need to crack open Bobby's library?" Sam asked leaning back against the chair full to bursting

Gabriel's smile dimmed a bit at the change of subject. "I managed to find something about resurrecting full fledged angels but nothing that would work for the boys. A lot of my scrolls are missing and I have no way of getting into Heaven's library without being caught. I don't know if Bobby would have anything but I guess it couldn't hurt to look. At least if we don't find anything we can say we tried." Gabriel said before giving Sam a grateful look. "Thank you for doing this for me. For them. It- it means a lot." He admitted softly.

Sam nodded noticing how the archangel seemed to deflate a little at the news that he hadn't been able to find the exact spell he needed. Well, if they couldn't find a spell they could make and combine ones instead. Wasn't that what he had done to resurrect the angel? "We'll find something. If nothing else we can combine spells to call them back, besides, if I really am this Sigyn then doesn't that make them my kids as well? If there is one thing a Winchester never abandons it's family. So it looks like we're off to Bobby's, or what's left of it, luckily most of the books in Bobby's library survived. We'll find something don't worry." Sam spoke confidently moving to get ready for the day and the long drive back to Bobby's.

The determination in Sam's voice as he spoke about bringing back the boys shocked Gabriel. He knew how important family was to the Winchesters but he never thought that he or any of his children would fit in that category. Even when he figured out that Sam was Sigyn he still assumed that Sam would kick him to the curb the moment the hunter found out the truth. Yet, here he was planning on giving his all to help bring kids he didn't even know back from the dead just because they could be considered his extended family. Not even his extended family, his past life's extended family. It was just so purely Sam that it made Gabriel feel like crying, which was not something he normally felt being a powerful archangel and all.

"Yeah, I guess it does. You do realize I could just angel zap us over there, right? And how is Singer doing anyway? He's not going to shoot me when we get there, is he?" Gabriel asked remembering the gruff old hunter from their first meeting. "I liked him, he knew how to put your brother in his place and didn't put up with any crap." Gabriel chuckled looking forward to seeing him again.

Sam smiled sadly at the archangel when he mentioned Bobby thinking of the way the man had died helping them. "He's dead. The leviathan killed him. Destroyed his home too. Luckily, as I said, most of his library survived. But I think he would have liked you too once he got over the whole trickster thing." Continuing getting ready Sam finished packing his bag before turning back to the angel. "And unlike Dean I have no problems with 'air angel' as he tends to call it so if you want to snap us to Bobby's go ahead just bring the Impala along too. Dean would kill me if I ever left her behind." he said a bit tiredly.

Gabriel was surprised that the old hunter was dead. "Oh, that sucks. I'm sorry to hear that. He was a good man from what I've seen, and he really cared about you and your brother." He said before realizing that, with Bobby dead and Dean gone the hunter must have truly been alone. With that thought a plan formulated in Gabriel's mind to make sure the younger Winchester wasn't alone again. Sam was already doing so much for him the least Gabriel could do is return the favor. "Alright, I'll make sure the car comes along too." He said offhandedly and walked over grabbing Sam's hand with one hand and snapping with the other so in a second they were standing in the remains of Singer Salvage.

Sam just nodded Gabriel had just summed his life of the last couple years up in a few words. Time and space swirled around them as the archangel teleported them to Bobby's and Sam simply looked at what had been his second home in dismay at what was left of it, little more then a pile of rubble.

"Come on then the library should be in this section. Let's see what we can find." Sam spoke before moving towards a pile of wood and brick on the north side of the building. "If we're lucky we may be able to find something we can use." he added giving Gabriel a fake smile.

Gabriel just stood looking at the damage as Sam moved off to the library, or what remained of it. He had seen the place before as he had frequently checked in on the the Winchesters without their knowledge, and he was shocked that this had happened. "Okay, when he said destroyed he meant completely demolished..." He muttered to himself before shaking his head. "Still nothing I can't fix." He added and caught up with Sam. "Hold on, Sammy. Do you... uh, I mean, I can fix this place up if you want. It'd make it easier to go through the stuff if it was in the right place, right?" Gabriel offered more for Sam then for the papers but he didn't really want to sound too cheesy or anything.

Sam looked over at Gabriel with wide eyes at the thought that he could have his home again. Bobby's was the only place outside of the impala that had ever felt like home, and it was a nice thought to have at least something to come back to even if Bobby was no longer there. Not to mention if the papers they needed were there, they would also have a place to raise the kids once they were back. It was a pity that Bobby was gone, though. Sam knew he would have made a great grandfather and woo to any who would think to harm his boys.

"I would love that, but you don't have to Gabriel, not just for my sake." Sam spoke a little choked up from his visions of a home, Bobby, and the kids.

Gabriel blushed a bit "It's not that big of a deal." He said sheepishly, before leading Sam to stand outside the rubble near where he had left the impala. "Close your eyes." He told him, making sure he listened before he closed his own eyes picturing the way the building looked the last time he was here and snapping. When he reopened them he nodded at the perfectly rebuilt Singer Salvage. "That should do it." He said a bit proud of himself.

Sam closed his eyes only reopening them when he heard Gabriel speak again only to have to quickly blink back tears at the sight of Bobby's house rebuilt as if it had never been destroyed.

"Thank you Gabriel. You have no idea what this means to me, and I don't know how to repay you for giving this back to me. I can imagine Bobby sitting in the library going through all the ancient scrolls." Sam spoke before heading up the steps and through the front door marveling at how it was exactly like he remembered. The little trickster must have read his mind, it was the only explanation for the perfect detail, Sam mused with a smile before heading to the library to begin researching resurrection spells that didn't require crossroads deals.

Gabriel followed Sam back into the house, glad he was able to do something for him that meant something. "You brought me back from the dead, and you're helping me find a way to bring our family back. It's the least I could do. Now let's see about finding us a resurrection spell." Gabriel said as they entered the library.

Smiling at the trickster Sam looked around the library everything exactly how he last remembered it. "Have fun Bobby was a bit of a pack rat when it came to ancient and rare tomes and scrolls. I remember him saying once that if he didn't have it, it didn't exist, though that could just be prideful boasting to a ten year old." Sam chuckled as he grabbed one of the older looking tomes figuring this was as good a place to start as any.

Gabriel chuckled at Sam's memory giving the place a once over. "Well it's definitely one of the best collections I've seen on earth nowadays." He commented picking a few things off the self that were in Enochian before perching himself near Sam and starting to go through it.

It was a while, and a good portion of the library later until Gabriel found anything useful. "Huh, it says here that there is a way to bring a person that has been dead back to life no matter how long they've been dead, but it has some hefty requirements. Not to mention it seems to be for humans so it might not work." Gabriel said reading out of a book written in Latin. "Have you found anything?" He asked.

Sam looked up from his own pile of books which had gotten considerably larger as the afternoon drug on. "Not much. Most of what I've found revolves around summoning someone who has already been resurrected or is still in spirit form. Not sure if that can be useful at all." Sam commented before going back to his tomes.

"Perhaps we could modify that spell you found to resurrect the kids after all aren't they part angel as well as god. What are the requirements?" Sam questioned some time later after he had gone through 2 more books with no luck both being about how to bind a demon or god to your will though the consequences of what would happen if it went wrong made Sam shake his head at the people who were stupid enough to try. Seriously that kind of magic was best left alone.

Gabriel nodded. "Yeah, they're half angel, half pagan. It says in order to work properly we'd need blood from a blood relative which is easy since I'm right here, but we'd also need blood from a reaper, a bone from a holy servant, and the people being resurrected will end up being bonded to whoever resurrects them. The rest of it is the basic draw this sigil, light some candles sort of thing." He explained showing Sam the page he had been reading.

"I see well the blood from a reaper may be easy enough, though it would be easier if Dean were here, we ended the apocalypse of relatively good terms with Death and Death seemed to have a soft spot for Dean. The bone from a holy servant though could be tricky would it have to be an angel or could a priest be counted?" Sam mused to himself.

"I don't quite like the fact that the kids would be bonded to who resurrects them but I suppose since you're their father there is already a bond there already." Sam carried on reaching for the last book in his current pile hopefully there will be something of use in there.

"I think a priest would work and I don't really like the bonding thing either, especially because it requires three people to cast the spell..." Gabriel huffed setting the book off to the side and grabbing another scroll to read. "Well, we still have half a library to go through maybe we'll find something better." He said snapping himself a lolly pop to distract himself from worrying.

"Great." Sam sighed if Dean and Cas were here they would have the three people easy but it seemed like fate was proving to be the bitch she normally was when it came to anything Winchester related.

"Well we never know what we might find and as I said we can always try to create something totally new. I'm no witch, but don't they do it all the time?" Sam mused to himself all the while knowing Dean would have a complete bitch freak if he even knew that he was contemplating something like this.

The image of Sam wearing a pointy black hat sprung to mind at Sam's words but Gabriel just nodded. "I could get Hela to help. I'm sure she'd like to have her brothers back. We'll figure it out, I'm sure. and if not I'll still feel better knowing I tried." Gabriel said giving Sam a grin before going over to look through the shelves some more.

"Then let's hit the books I'm all for picking Hela's brain and getting to know my supposed daughter. But let's hope we can find something else we can use here before we call on her." Sam spoke warmly before going back to the scroll, having finished all of the tomes in his immediate reach, he had been studying.

Gabriel grinned and went back to his own researching, his surroundings covered in ancient literature. He knew Sam was right. It was always a good idea to find every possible idea before deciding on one that way, not only did you have back ups if something went wrong but also you could be sure you were using the best one for the job. He definitely wasn't going to second guess with his kids being involved and he didn't want something too risky because Sam could get hurt and the kid was growing on him- not just because he was Sigyn either.

"Do you have any strings left to pull with Kali?" Sam asked coming across a vague passage about where the Hindu goddess was sometimes called upon to resurrect the dead.

"Kali? Well, I did die saving her life so I'm sure I'm at least on her okay list. Why? Did you find something?" Gabriel asked.

Sam pushed the scroll he had been reading over to Gabriel showing the passage where it was written that the goddess would resurrect the dead for a price. "I'm hoping that if she owes you a favor we can waive whatever she would ask in payment and get the boys back. Besides as a goddess of death and rebirth it should be easily within her power and we can always threaten to finish what Lucifer started if she doesn't help." Sam teased. Kali didn't need to know that they weren't serious.

Gabriel smirked after examining the scroll. "This plan definitely has promise. Though she'll never admit it I'm sure she has a much healthier respect for angels now so it shouldn't be too hard to bargain with her. Nice work, Sammy." He commented. "Good thing you found this now because I think that just about does it for Bobby's library too." He added looking at the piles of books and scrolls before snapping a good portion of them back onto the selves, leaving only the few helpful ones out.

Sam stood up and stretched looking through the sheer mass of books and scrolls they had surfed through. Before turning to look at the little archangel.

"That depends, how long does one need to get a hold of Kali? Do we need to summon her or do we normally have to go to India." Sam asked he would rather get the boys back as soon as possible and then work out the loop holes on freeing Dean and Cas. If nothing else Dean would love being an uncle of that he was sure. His older brother had always been good with children.

"Well, we could summon her easy but I'm not sure she'd appreciate the gesture very much and we are trying to get her to be nice for once." Gabriel pondered.

"Well you know her the best, I only met her that one time and we didn't really hit it off." Sam shrugged sheepishly not his most shining moment in either of his two life times. "So I don't think if I summoned her it would go over very well."

"I don't know. She didn't murder you and your brother after you left the hotel so she must like you a bit at least." Gabriel teased with a wink.

"True. But she's your ex Gabe. Isn't there some unwritten law about currents calling on the ex's or something. She may try to kill me just because I stole you from her." Sam teased right back. Looking down at the still seated god all the while wondering if Gods tuned into prayers like the angels and if perhaps that may work.

"Currents, huh? Are we going steady then? Should I be looking for rings?" Gabriel asked with a gleeful smirk not really minding the idea. "Although I like the idea of being fought over, I don't think Kali would mind if you had stolen me except for the fact she was bested by a human. She never liked me that much, she just liked my power. Not many things can compare with an archangel when it comes to mojo. Not that she knew who I was at the time..." he added.

Sam blushed at the mention of a ring but smirked none the same. "Absolutely. I intend for you to make an honest man out of me. And if Kali didn't care that much it's her loss and my gain. So let's get her here sooner rather then later, the boys can't revive themselves." Sam quipped eager to get his family back first his boys, then Dean.

Gabriel chuckled and shook his head."Alright dear, whatever you say." He replied walking over and getting a few things out from Bobby's desk and started setting up the spell they would need to summon his ex."I still have the ring I gave to Sigyn before. She wanted me to take it." he mentioned as he handed a bowl with a few things in it to Sam."It calls for human blood so I can't do it."

Sam nodded suddenly serious pulling Ruby's knife from its sheathe and slicing his palm letting the blood drip into the bowl. Waiting for a few moments until there was a decent amount collected Sam grabbed a rag and wrapped it around his bleeding hand waiting for more instructions  
Gabriel placed his hand on Sam's healing it quickly before placing the bowl in the middle of a chalk circle he had drawn and chanting a little bit in an ancient Hindi.

"Thanks." Sam commented with a small smile as he watched Gabriel perform the summoning. Hopefully they found Kali in a generous mood if not this could prove tricky.

Gabriel finished the spell and positioned himself a bit closer to Sam. While he knew the hunter could take care of himself he still wasn't going to risk it. A few seconds later Kali appeared near the circle looking slightly irritated but not exactly wrathful to Gabriel's relief.

"I'd say I'm surprised to see you alive Loki but it seems to be a habit with you so just tell me what you want so I can get on with my life." She muttered examining her nails boredly.

Sam looked at the Indian goddess, the woman didn't seem surprised to have been summoned out of the blue so he could only wonder if she had been expecting something like this to happen one day. "The boys, Kali. We want to know if you will help us bring them back. Neither me nor Loki have the power, it's not in either of our area. You rule over life and death so if anyone can help you can." Sam commented standing tall beside the small Godling trying not to appear out of his league.

Kali snorted at Sam's words but after a quick look at Gabriel's expression sighed. "If you want me to bring back Loki's sons then there will have to be a price. It is not something I would normally even consider but as I owe Loki, I may make an exception. I'm still going to need payment though. It isn't easy to bring back someone so long dead. Even for me." She relented.

Gabriel's eyes narrowed guessing where this was going."What kind of payment would you need?" he asked hoping they could figure something reasonable out.

"A life, Loki. A life for a life, and not one you have chosen because of your 'just deserts'." Kali interjected quickly knowing Loki's tricks almost better then anyone. "A life freely given. Only a willing sacrifice would garner enough power to easily bring your sons back. Are you willing to pay such a price?" Kali asked looking pointedly at Loki before looking to the youngest Winchester.

"And are you Samuel? Would you give up your life to revive Loki's sons? Children you have never even met." She asked leveling him with a knowing look.

"I am. If it would bring the boys back I'd do anything." Sam spoke with the conviction of a parent given the chance to right a grave wrong. If it would save the boys and give them back the lives they had been cruelly denied was there really a price too high to pay?

"No Sam, that is not going to happen. There is still that other spell. I'm not going to let you get yourself killed, not again. If Sam's death is the only option then the answer is no. I'm through watching people I care about get killed because of me. It's happened too many times and I can't stand it. So if that is the case then you can leave now." Gabriel hissed standing between Sam and Kali. He gave his life for Sam once and there was no way he was going to let him throw it all away without a fight. He would rather die a thousand more times then have to watch another person he loves die because of him.

Kali smiled and nodded there was her answer in a nut shell. "I said easily Loki. There is still a way to bring your children back but it would require much more power and, should it go wrong, it has the potential to wipe their very souls from existence on any plane." she admitted.

Sam looked between the two deities at the moment staying silent. He had made his choice if Kali decided to take his life anyway so be it, but then again, he really hoped she wouldn't.

Gabriel relaxed his stance a bit but didn't move. "And what might that be?" He asked hesitantly. As much as he would love to have his sons back, and would give his own grace gladly to achieve that goal, there were some things he wouldn't risk- Sam being one and Hela being another.

"You must find the soul of their mother, only the mother would have the connection required to form the conduit for which to focus my powers and bring your sons to this plain once more. Though, I warn you it will not be easy on whatever reincarnation your late wife has taken. Not deadly though she might wish she was by the end." Kali spoke knowing the pain that the woman would go through to bring the boys back would be as if she was going through their labors at once and then triple the pain. It was the mothers ability to weather the pain that would see if the boys could be revived or not, if she couldn't then the strain on the re-birthing souls would destroy them both.

Gabriel sighed and shook his head knowing exactly what she was suggesting. "You and I both know that that spell has never been tried and there is a huge chance it wouldn't end well for anyone." He said deflating. He couldn't risk it. He couldn't ask Sam to do that and he couldn't stand it if it didn't work and he lost everyone all over again. First Sigyn, then when he found Angrboda realizing that she had the same soul and let himself fall into temptation, now with Sam. Loosing his mate and their sons again and again like an eternal punishment. But this would be it. If this went wrong he would never feel her soul again, never have that hope that he could find her again, because she would be completely destroyed. "I can't... The risk of that spell is too high. I can't ask for that." he finally said pain in his eyes.

Sam looked at the trickster and seeing the utter heartbreak in his face was enough to make up his mind. He was a hunter and had long learned how to handle pain that would make most men scream for their mothers. These were his boys and he would have them back. "Do it Kali. I'm their mother and I want them back as much as Loki. I don't care about pain, pain I can handle, so just get on with it. I want my little boys." Sam spoke once more with conviction though at the end he was closer to pleading.

Kali nodded and walked forward knowing Loki wouldn't stop her because he wanted his children back just as much as Sam. She stopped in front of Sam and held out her hand for his. "Once I begin, should you choose to stop, it will destroy all of the children's souls so do not take my hand unless you are completely certain. There is no going back." She commented staring Sam straight in the eyes.

Gabriel stood silently next to Sam. It wasn't his choice to make and even with the fear eating at him he wanted to be strong for his mate no matter what happened.

Sam squared his shoulders as he centered himself. This was nothing more then a hunt, one that would have good outcome rather then more blood and pain for once. Moving forward Sam gripped Kali's hand in a firm grip, knowing that if she were human she would probably be in quite a bit of pain, letting the goddess know his willingness to do this. Just think of his boys, he thought to himself. that was the goal here, their little boys.

Kali nodded and closed her eyes as she focused on her task. The hand holding Sam's began to glow red as she chanted the spell that she would use to get the boy's souls. Although she hoped to finish as soon as possible to spare herself from as much of Loki's wrath as possible she knew it could take up to an hour to fully collect and form the souls properly. If luck was on their side, however, there was a chance she could be done in minutes. She felt Sam's hand tighten around her own as the first wave of pain started.

Sam grimaced his grip tightening on the goddesses hand as the pain started. It hurt but he knew this was nothing compared to what he was sure it would become before the boys were returned. That was what he was doing this for, that's all that mattered, and for them he would persevere. Biting his lip to keep any noises of pain from escaping his lips as time wore on and the pain just continued to grow it could have been minutes, it could have been hours, all he knew was that the pain continued to increase until it was all he could think of.

Kali was surprised by Sam's perseverance in staying silent as she continued the spell. She knew that Loki would have freaked out should the Winchester had made so much as a squeak of discomfort and it was easier for her to concentrate without the God of mischief panicking over his soulmate. About twenty minutes had passed when she managed to complete the first stage of the spell, collecting the boy's souls, and she slowly released herself from the Winchester's grasp as she finished with his part.

Gabriel gave Kali a look asking permission as she moved away from Sam and she gave him a brief nod before starting on the second part of the spell which would create bodies for the boy's souls. "Sam? Are you okay?" he asked worriedly but with a bit of relief too. Sam had survived and from what he could tell the boy's souls were fine as well, so at least there was that.

Sam was breathing heavily from the pain nearly blacking out a few times along the way before Kali released his hand allowing him to slump to the floor in exhaustion and pain. Smiling gently at Gabriel's question he nodded mutely still trying to get his breath back as well as fight through the lingering aftershocks of pain from the ritual. Luckily for him they seemed to be quickly lessening in intensity.

Gabriel sighed in relief when Sam nodded before sitting next to him on the floor and gently brushing some of Sam's hair back from where it had fallen in his face while simultaneously removing any lingering pain he may have been feeling. "Good, better then good even. You did it. You got our little boys back safe and sound." Gabriel chucked lightly a bright smile on his face.

Sam sagged in relief as Gabriel banished the lingering pain and leaned into the trickster-angel's side for support. They had done it, finally done it, and woo upon any who seek to take their children from them again.

"Never again will any of this happen, I swear. Never again will Odin or any other lay a hand on my children." Sam vowed as he watched as Kali worked to restore the boy's bodies and truly bring them back to this plane of existence.

"You got that right. No one is going to come anywhere close to my babies if I have any say in it." Gabriel swore as well.

Kali decided it would probably be best to interrupt them then, before they decided she was a threat as well. "Well, I would not risk going against either of you. These children will be very well protected." She commented a child in each of her arms. Two of them had fair hair, Fenny's being slightly longer than his brother's, and Sam's hazel eyes. Gabriel had to blink back tears at seeing them after so long. "I think that you should take them, I do have my own life you know." Kali commented semi sarcastically trying to urge the renewed parents into action.

Sam reached up and grabbed Fenny holding him close before seeing his twins sound asleep behind her in her other set of arms. Both boys were the spitting image of Sam when he was a toddler, though he knew from his dreams that when they woke they would have Gabriel's shining golden eyes. It seemed only Fenrir and Jor were awake as the resurrection had been more taxing for the youngest of their children.

Letting Gabriel take Jor, Sam moved behind Kali scooping up the twins holding them along with their brother. "Thank you! You have no idea what this means to us." Sam spoke tears in his voice as he cradled his children close.

Gabriel easily took Jor into his arms, kissing his son's forehead. "Sam's right. You have my eternal gratitude for this Kali." Gabriel said his eyes twinkling with joy at the knowledge that he finally had his family back.

Kali rolled her eyes. "Yes, well, even I have more tact then to murder innocent children for no reason, and you did save me from your brother... But, please loose my number after this. My debt is repaid and I want nothing more to do with you... Gabriel." She said tiredly before leaving them alone.

"Now all we need to do is get Slephnir from Asgard, get Hela up here for a visit, and rescue Dean and Cas then we'll have a complete family again." Sam spoke fondly imagining his entire family under one roof. It would be a nightmare of chaotic energy but he couldn't think of anything that would bring him more happiness. "But at this moment I think we should get these wee ones off to bed. They must be exhausted." Sam spoke handing Fenny to Gabriel and rearranging the twins in his arms before heading off to his room. This first night he wanted all his children close, they could add new rooms for them tomorrow.

Gabriel chuckled cuddling his boys and followed Sam. "Sounds good to me." He commented feeling more light and hopeful then he had in centuries. "then again, there's probably not much that won't sound good to me right now." He added joyfully.

Laughing at the sheer happiness in Gabriel's voice Sam carried the boys to his room kicking the door open and laying his precious cargo gently on the bed. He tucked them in carefully so not to wake the sleeping twins. "Do you think they'll recognize me Gabe? After all I don't exactly look like their mother anymore. Right now they're all so sleepy they're not aware of much, I can only hope that this doesn't scare them." Sam worried aloud sounding like the new parent he technically was.

Placing a kiss on his boy's foreheads Sam moved aside giving Gabriel access to the bed to lay Jor and Fenny down as well. The little boys looked like they were fighting a losing battle with sleep.

Gabriel sat the boys down with their brothers where they snuggled closer and promptly fell asleep, then Gabriel copied Sam's move kissing each of their sons goodnight before comforting him. "I'm pretty sure they'll recognize you, Sammy, but even if they don't they'll still feel it instinctively and I'm sure they'll love you all the same..." Gabriel said softly not wanting to wake them. "I know I do..." He added under his breath to himself.

Catching Gabriel's muttered confession Sam moved behind the shorter man pulling him close and kissing his hair. "I'm glad to hear it. I feel the same." Sam spoke softly not quite ready to say those three little words yet but wanting his little trickster angel to know how he felt none the less.

"Now, I think it's time we join our sons in sleep. Who knows when the little ones will decide they've had enough sleep and start causing mischief." Sam spoke as he moved to grab a blanket and pillow and lay them on the floor, the bed being quite full of little godlings. Besides it wasn't as if he wasn't used to sleeping on the floor on occasion.

Gabriel gave a little snort as Sam started preparing to sleep on the floor before summoning up another bed silently and expanding the room a bit to fit it all. "Your going to have to get used to living a bit better now I'm around Sammy." Gabriel said with a smirk. "No more sleeping on the floor or trashy hotels needed. Unless, of course, you want to..." He teased kicking off his shoes and snapping into some red silk Pj's before falling onto the bed he had just created.

Shaking his head with a laugh at Gabriel's flippant use of his powers, Sam grabbed the nearest pillow throwing it at the trickster before snatching up his old t-shirt and worn track pants and heading to the bathroom to shower. He was glad that Gabriel would be there to watch over the kids as it made it a little easier to leave them even for that brief ten minutes.

Quickly showering and brushing his teeth Sam rushed through his bed time routine managing to get back to his family in just over the ten minutes he had timed. Pushing Gabriel over to one side of the bed with a fond smile Sam snuggled under the blankets and switched off the lamp on the bedside table.

As Gabriel lay in the darkness of the room, being surrounded by the sound of his children's soft snores, let himself be lulled into a light sleep, but not before mentally checking all the sigils and salt lines in the house. Finally, something seemed to be going right in his life, and he wasn't going to loose it.

Sam fell asleep quickly, snuggling closer to Gabriel as he slept until he had pulled the smaller man flush against him sighing in relief at the contact. Truly, this had to be nearest to bliss the younger Winchester could remember.

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**Please review! And requests, ideas, critiques, and suggestions are always welcome! Thanks ;)**


	3. Chapter 3

**Now for the cute and fluffy!**

**(I do not own SPN)**

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The next morning Gabriel woke in a very cozy position and probably would have stayed wrapped Sam's arms for a good while longer if it hadn't been for the half empty bed across from him and the sound of a semi whispered argument coming from downstairs. So despite how wonderful he felt, he decided to investigate. He slowly extracted himself from the bed, extremely careful not to wake Sam before giving a quick check to see that Jor and Fenny were the two missing from the bed and their younger siblings were still sound asleep. Quietly entering the living room Gabriel had to stifle a chuckle seeing Jor covered in what seemed to be some sort of chocolate sauce and Fenny dusted with a thin sheet of flour.

"I told you not to open the bottle, it's not my fault that breakfast got messed up!" Jor hissed quietly at his brother.

"Says the person who couldn't even grab hold of a bag without it spilling everywhere!" Fenny growled back causing Gabriel to smile.

"Is there a reason you two are covered in food or is this just a new fashion statement?" He asked causing both boys to finch at being caught.

"It was his fault!" they both said at the same time before turning to glare at each other. Gabriel just shook his head.

"Right, what exactly did you do this time anyway?" Gabriel asked drawing their attention back to him.

"We were hungry so we were looking for food but he shook up the bottle of chocolate syrup and it exploded!" Jor complained before Fenny interrupted.

"Well, he said he was going to make pancakes and I told him to wait but he didn't listen and then he ripped the bag of flour and dropped it on my head." he defended causing Gabriel to laugh.

"I suggest you both go get cleaned up in the bathroom down the hall and then we can make pancakes together, okay? And next time wait for me or your mom before destroying the kitchen, alright?" Gabriel suggested and both boys nodded before taking off and Gabriel rolled his eyes.

Sam woke not long after Gabriel noting, a bit disappointingly, that other man had already gotten up. Yawning and stretching, he saw that Narvi and Vali were still fast asleep but his other boys were missing as well. Sam quietly left the room heading downstairs to find what the rest of his tricksters were up to.

Gabriel snapped the kitchen clean replacing the ingredients the boys had ruined with brand new stuff, and pulled out a few more things they would need to make breakfast. He also snapped himself into his normal outfit knowing that they'd probably be doing something after breakfast. He finished up just in time for Fenny and Jor to come back in much cleaner then before but with their clothes still stained with food. "What am I going to do with you?" Gabriel sighed snapping them both into brand new outfits and Fenny smiled

"Love us and feed us?" he asked causing Gabriel to laugh.

"Sounds about right. Now, we're going to have to make two bunches of pancakes 'cause your mom is a heath nut and doesn't really like sweets but that just means more for us right?" He whispered conspiratorially before giving each of the boys directions on what to do to help.

"Hey, I resent that. I'm just health conscious." Sam teased smiling at the sight of a now clean kitchen. The boys sure could make a mess, but then again they were tricksters. Despite that Sam was glad to see the children and Gabriel smiling, and having fun. He knew it had been a long time since they had been able to do so.

Now, if only his boys recognized him. It was that fear that had made him stay silent just outside the kitchen door watching until Gabriel mentioned him being a 'health nut' and he decided to step in.

"Sure, whatever you say, darling. I'll keep you either way." Gabriel replied with a wink causing the boys to giggle. "Why don't you come and help us make breakfast? I'm sure we could use the help. What do you say boys? Do you think your mom should help us make pancakes?" He asked seeing the hesitance in Sam's eyes. Jor shrugged before nodding and Fenny smirked. "As long as mine can have chocolate chips still!" He said running over and grabbing Sam's hand to drag him into the kitchen neither one showing any hesitance at Sam's appearance.

Blushing at Gabriel's words Sam let himself be dragged into the kitchen by little Fenny. "How on earth do you two even know what pancakes and chocolate chips are?" Sam teased certain they didn't have pancakes or chocolate chips so long ago. "But yes you can have some, as long as you leave enough for your baby brothers." He conceded.

He couldn't wait until Dean and Cas were home. He was certain that they would both love the children, and then he would lock both of them in a closet until they finally admitted their feelings. It was about time they got over whatever was causing them to be so blind. He wasn't sure how much longer he could take those soulful stares between the two of them.

Jor smiled "Daddy made us pancakes all the time! With chocolate chips and marshmallows and chocolate syrup. It was yummy" he said excitedly as Gabriel gave Sam a sheepish grin.

"I may have, sorta, kinda, whipped some up a few times before... It's one of the few things I can actually cook without burning!cAlthough getting the ingredients was a bit difficult. I usually just time traveled to get the stuff." He admitted. "Any who, we should probably get these started before the twins wake up, we got a lot to do today and I'm sure it'll go a lot better if we're not hungry." He said changing the subject.

Sam shook his head, he should have known. "You and your time travel, but for pancakes?" He asked as he moved to help his boys. They all easily made up a batch of chocolate chip pancakes for the kids and a batch of blueberry pancakes at Sam's request. They had just finished putting breakfast on the table when Sam heard noise from the twins upstairs.

Gabriel heard the twins wake up as well and went upstairs to get them returning a few minutes later with one in each arm. Vali snuggled closer to Gabriel's side with a little whine at the sunlight streaming through the windows, while Narvi looked about excitedly, reaching for Sam when they got close. "And you thought they wouldn't remember you, you got this one attached already." Gabriel said passing Narvi over to Sam and sitting down at the table with his twin who was still half asleep.

Sam hugged Narvi close kissing the little boy on the forehead before following Gabriel to the table. "I was more worried about them not recognizing me. I'm clearly not a women anymore, plus I don't look much like Sigyn. So I wasn't sure what would happen when they saw me." he clarified.

Sam sat with Narvi in his lap grabbing a plate for him filled with one chocolate and one berry pancake making sure that his son would at least eat semi healthy. Cutting them up in small bites he set them down letting the little boy eat his fill before grabbing his own food.

"They're used to sensing a person's soul to tell who they are rather then using physical looks. After all, I constantly had to change form before to hide from my brothers." Gabriel explained copying Sam's motions with Vali and making sure Jor and Fenny each got a enough to eat as well. "So what's the plan for today? I was thinking of getting Hela so she could see her brothers and I'm sure you'd like to meet her." Gabriel suggested.

"Well that certainly explains a lot. And could you please? I can take care of the boys by myself long enough for you to fetch her." Sam spoke a smile in his voice as he watched his new family enjoy their breakfast. It was a warming sight after so much loneliness for so long.  
"Sounds good to me." Gabriel agreed ruffling Vali's hair as he finished his food. "Here kiddo, go see your mom so I can go get Hela." Gabriel instructed putting Vali on the floor so he could run over to Sam. "I'll be back in a while." he said, disappearing to go get Hela from Helheim.

Opening up one arm Sam held Vali to him dropping a kiss on the boys hair. "Looking forward to seeing your sister?" Sam asked his little ones receiving nods as Gabriel took off to Helheim to fetch their only daughter.

Giving the twins a quick hug Sam slipped out from beneath them before moving to gather the plates and taking them to the sink to wash the dishes. Noticing a picture nearby, he reached over to grab it smiling at the memory. It was of him, Bobby, Dean, Cas, Ellen and Jo from right before they took on Lucifer the first time, when they were last all together. What he wouldn't do to have been able to introduce his new family to those he considered his mother and father, after John and Mary, and adopted little sister.

"Who's that?" Fenny asked seeing Sam holding the picture and wanting know more about the people in it. "Are they your friends?" Jor added leaning over his brother to see.

Sam smiled and kneeled down to his son's height to show them the picture. "Yes. That's your Uncle Dean, Uncle Cas, Grandma Ellen, Grandpa Bobby, and Auntie Jo. They're my family, and Uncle Cas here is your dad's baby brother like Vali and Narvi are yours." Sam spoke pointing out each person in turn before having to do it all over again when the twins came over to see the picture that had their brothers so interested.

"Can we meet them? I wanna meet daddy's brother and your family! Do they like sweets? We can get sweets for when they come over and we can have a party! Unless they don't like sweets then we will have to do something else... But we'll still have fun!" Fenny said getting excited at the thought of meeting new family members. Jor nodded in agreement but Vali shook his head "What if they don't like us?" He asked Sam shyly.

Smiling sadly at the picture Sam shook his head. "Grandpa Bobby, Grandma Ellen, and Auntie Jo would have loved you, but they have gone to Valhalla. Uncle Dean and Cas, however, will be coming home soon and they will adore you. Uncle Dean loves sweets so we'll have to make him lots of pie and Uncle Cas... well, we'll make him like them, won't we?" He reassured them, wishing they could have all met.

"Oh, I'm sorry. You probably miss them huh? I didn't mean to make you sad Mommy." Fenny apologized. "You got us though, so you don't have to be sad. Plus, Daddy said Valhalla is really pretty so they are probably happy there." Jor added.

"Don't apologize little one, and your Daddy's right Valhalla is a lovely place. They are definitely happy there." Sam said hugging Fenny "And you're right Jor, I'm happy to have all of you back home, safe and sound. So, what should we do to get ready for your sisters visit?" Sam asked to change the subject, placing the family picture back on the fridge so that it wouldn't get lost.

The boys shrugged "Hide the good candy and anything breakable?" Jor suggested at the same time Fenny said "Board the windows and hide any sweets we have."

Laughing Sam shook his head trust the boys to want to keep all the candy. "Now boys your sister deserves some too. After all I don't think Helheim has very good candy now does it?" he reprimanded softly still a bit nervous about how to act with them. Hopefully no one would come over for a visit, unless it was his brother and Cas to somehow say they'd escaped purgatory, as it would be pretty hard to explain Hela's appearance to the neighbors. Myths said she was terrifying and while Sam didn't think that was exactly true he still had to assume she didn't look normal either.

Jor shook his head "We're not saying it to be mean. It's just, the thought of Hela on sugar could put fear in anyone's hearts. She gets really hyper really easy." he said and Fenny nodded both with completely serious expressions.

"Fine, we'll put the majority away but you have to leave her a little bit, not a lot, but it's her home too and we want her to feel welcome." Sam laughed, not mad at the boys in the slightest, making sure that there were a few berry pancakes left for his daughter, the boys had devoured the chocolate ones which, according to them, was probably a good thing.

Before the boys could say anything else Gabriel appeared with Hela standing beside him, both of them looking a bit roughed up. Hela's long black hair was in a bit of a disarray as it fell over the left half of her face and her long white dress was speckled with blood. "Before you ask, we're fine. We just ran into a few of my brothers who were understandably upset about my lack of involvement in current affairs." Gabriel said not wanting Sam to flip out.

Gabriel's hopes were in vain. At the first sight of blood Sam rushed over to Hela checking her for any serious wounds relieved when he only found minor injuries that were already healing before turning and doing the same to Gabriel, sighing in relief once he was sure that there was nothing serious."Next time call me. It wouldn't be my first time facing your brothers." Sam spoke pulling out the angel blade that he always kept with him along with Ruby's knife. No one was going to mess with his family and live to tell the tale.

"Sam, we were in Helheim, I don't think calling you would have been in our best interest, but I'm glad to hear you care." Gabriel said copying his earlier statement with a smile. "Now I do believe you have a daughter to get reacquainted with" He added messing with Hela's hair causing her to roll her eyes.

"Hi." she greeted with a shy smile not sure if Sam would recognize since he hadn't gotten that far in his dreams. Plus, she had changed a lot since the last time her family had been together.

Sam had a flash of a memory of his daughter- a little girl so full of life and light she practically glowed. Looking at her now he decided she hadn't changed too much. Walking over to Hela, Sam pulled his little girl into his arms. "Hello beautiful. You've grown, it seems we've both changed since we were last together." Sam spoke pride in his little girl evident in his voice. He knew what had become of her fate and while he wasn't pleased with the other gods, he was pleased with the woman his daughter had become.

Hela relaxed a bit at Sam's words, hugging him back tightly. "I missed you." She admitted glad that her family was finally coming back together. Pulling back she gave Sam a smirk just like Gabriel's "Daddy was telling me that you need help hooking up my uncles when they got back, and you thought I could help?" she asked hopefully looking forward to not only meeting her uncles but getting to mess with them too.

Sam grinned mischief lighting up his own hazel eyes. You didn't live with trickster gods for millennia and not pick up a love for messing with people, plus Dean owned him for all the prank wars. "Absolutely, feel free to go at it. By the time we're done we'll have your uncles admitting their feelings even if we have to mojo them stuck in a closet until they do." He chuckled. Pulling his daughter close one last time Sam laid a kiss on her forehead before turning to his boys and giving them all a grin. "You boys can feel free to join right in too, the more the merrier." he permitted.

Gabriel shook his head at Sam's antics. "I actually feel kinda bad for Deano now." He laughed seeing the way his children's eyes lit up at Sam's statement. "His own brother turning against him and letting his niece and nephews have free rein. He doesn't have a chance." He said wondering when their siblings would escape- if they got out at all. Pushing those thoughts out of his mind for the moment, not wanting to be negative when things were finally turning around, Gabriel gave Sam a grin. "So, Mommy, what's the plan for today?" He asked leaving the choice up to Sam.

"Don't, he's done worse to me, and did I mention the time he took Cas to a strip club?" Sam teased remembering the time fondly though he had hoped that Dean would have caught on to the angels feelings by then but apparently not.

Sam smiled. "First, we have to introduce the kids to 'Baby' then we can show them how much Midgard has changed in five hundred years, starting with shopping. Bobby was great, but he was a hunter through and through so there is not much for kids to do here, after that we'll see." he said trying to use terms they'd know.

Catching sight of Hela's blood stained dress Gabriel nodded. "Shopping is a must, but do you really think we're all going to fit in the Impala without me using my mojo on it?" He asked curiously.

Sam nodded hating the sight of his daughter's blood on he clothes. "It'll be tight, but with that argument you could also just snap up everything the kids could ever need too." Sam teased moving to grab his coat and shrugging it on while grabbing the keys. "Who's up for their first car ride?" he called leading the way out.  
The kids all followed Sam excited to see what he was talking about while Hela sighed. "I can mojo my own clothes, I just prefer to be able to at least act human. Especially since I don't look it..." She said mumbling the last part while snapping herself a new black dress with gray leggings and a new pair of gray opera gloves so her skin was completely covered before fixing her hair so it fell more fully over the left side of her face. She was used to having to be careful when around humans- one of the main reasons she actually preferred to stay in Helheim most of the time. She didn't have to hide the way she looked there.

Gabriel, overhearing her muttering and knowing how she felt, wrapped an arm around her shoulders "I'm sorry your majesty, but the human world just can't handle someone as beautiful as you all at once." He commented kissing the top of her head causing her to blush.

"I agree with your father Princess. You are beautiful just as you are, and feel free to hit any who say otherwise." Sam soothed his daughter leading them to the impala."And this is your Uncle Dean's baby. Your uncle and I spent most of our childhood this time around growing up in this car." Sam spoke patting the hood fondly. He may not have the love of the car that Dean did but this car had been the only constant home he had ever known in this life.

Hela smiled at that, especially when her brother's eyes widened at Sam's words as she could guess what was coming next. "So it's our cousin? It doesn't seem alive..." Narvi asked wondering how the man he saw in the photo could have a contraption like what was in front of him as a child. "Maybe it's sleeping." Vali suggested looking around the front of the car. "Fenny doesn't look alive when he sleeps." Jor added helpfully causing Fenny to glare at him. "I do too!" He growled starting an argument but Gabriel stepped in before it could get far. "Fenny looks perfectly alive when he sleeps and I'm sure your Mom would clarify if you wait for a moment." He said barely containing his laughter at the thought of Dean actually giving birth to the Impala.

Sam too could barely contain his laughter. The mental image was just too funny. "I don't think the impala's alive though your Uncle may tell you otherwise. She's just home and family, and yes Fenny you look alive when you sleep, just quiet and innocent. The impala is a machine for transportation." He clarified. Walking around to the drivers side door Sam slipped into the car bringing the car to life letting her warm up before he went to get his young sons into the car.

Hela, Fenny, and Jor crawled into the back seat with Vali sitting on his sister's lap while Gabriel sat Narvi on his lap in the passage seat. "Okay we're ready to go, Sam. Let's check out the wonders of Midgard." Gabriel said cheerfully before addressing the kids. "Don't run off when we get out. You all need to stay with me, your mom, or Hela while we're out and no using powers. We don't need to draw too much attention to ourselves, or at least more then we already will." Gabriel set the ground rules knowing the boys were going to want to see everything but to men with five children would be weird to start with.

"Indeed, this town will be full of hunters and the last thing we need is to draw their attention to us." Sam commented knowing that Sheriff Mills at the least would be around town not to mention any hunter that could be passing through. Everyone knew this as Bobby's territory and the best place to come for information on the supernatural not every hunter knowing that Bobby was now dead. The last thing he needed was for anyone to threaten his newly returned children. The only hunter he would welcome would be Dean and he could only hope that he would run into his older brother. Shifting the car into drive Sam easily drove the car towards town.

The boys nodded understanding they needed to be careful while they were out. They looked out the windows as Sam drove occasionally asking questions about things they saw. When they finally stopped the boys were nearly bouncing in their seats with excitement.

Sam couldn't help chuckling at the boys excitement answering questions as best as he could before stopping at the mall. Helping Gabriel get the boys out he made sure that he had Ruby's knife and angel blade on his person. A Winchester could never be too careful.

Gabriel pulled a phone from his pocket handing it to Hela. "I added the number to your Mom's phone and if you need me you know you can just pray." He told her before grabbing Jor's hand, Narvi still in his arms as they approached the mall. "Okay, let's get shopping!" he said planning on picking up a few extra things on top of the kids clothes.

Wrapping an arm around Hela's shoulders Sam grabbed Fenny's hand and Vali grabbed Hela's. "It doesn't matter what time it is, if you ever need me, even just to talk, give me a call. So, what shall we look for first?" Sam told her as they all walked to the mall entrance letting the children decide which store they wanted to go see.

The kids took about three seconds staring in awe at all the stuff around them before seeing a toy store that was filled with brightly colored signs and designs. "We want to go there." Narvi announced for them while pointing at the store.

"Then that's where we go first." Sam spoke happy to make the children happy. So for the next few hours they shopped until all the kids had a full wardrobe and plenty of toys. Dean would no doubt call him a girl for enjoying shopping with the kids but he couldn't help it, it was probably the happiest afternoon that he could remember in this life.

Gabriel was surprised at how great he felt doing something as mundane as shopping but seeing his kids excited and Sam actually smiling for once had him feeling better then he had in ages. By the time they finished, got everything put away, and got the kids in the Impala he wasn't surprised at them falling asleep on the ride home. "I think that went better then expected, we got everything we needed and the kids got tired out." Gabriel said with a smirk at Sam as Narvi slept soundly in his lap cuddled up with a stuffed dog they had bought for him.

Sam nodded with a smile looking over his family in the rear view mirror. "Agreed. I don't think this day could possibly get better." The children had enjoyed it and they hadn't ran into any hunters, angels, Norse gods, or monsters of any kind. That alone was some sort of miracle."So how long can Hela stay on Midgard?" Sam asked not wanting to have to say goodbye to his daughter just yet. They had all just gotten back together, the last thing he wanted was to have to say goodbye.

"She can stay indefinitely as long as she checks in every now and then but it's up to her. She usually doesn't feel comfortable staying too long because of how she looks. She's really self-conscious." Gabriel explained catching sight of his daughter sleeping against the window in the mirror. He could see just a bit of the gray of her skin under her hair and he knew should she choose to show herself her eye would be completely white and her lip on that side paled as if with death as well. To him she still looked wonderful but year of horror and humiliation can down anyone's self esteem.

"She needn't be, she's stunning just as she is and I intend to spend every moment telling her this. I guess it's only Sleph that is missing then, I wonder since Odin was killed by Lucifer instead of Fenny if maybe he would be allowed to leave." Sam smirked at that fact. The only reason Fenrir had been imprisoned and then killed was because of his supposed destiny to kill Odin during Ragnarok and yet it had been an angel that had actually done the deed. "Shouldn't Slephnir's service be complete?" he asked.

"Yes, but I don't know if he'll want to come. He might be willing to see you but he doesn't really like me and he's never met any of his siblings, besides Hela anyway." Gabriel said frowning at the thought of his last meeting with his eldest son which hadn't ended well. "Actually I kinda think he hates me. Which is understandable seeing as I'm not exactly the best parent on the planet and I couldn't protect him from Odin any more then I could my other boys." He mused pulling Narvi closer in a subconscious protective gesture. He had failed his family in the worst way and he would never forgive himself for it.

"I see, I'm sorry Gabe. Though, I doubt he hates you. Once one gets to truly know you it's kind of hard to do, besides it wasn't your fault that Odin was the king of all jerks in the Norse pantheon and seemed bound and determined to take our kids from us." Sam spoke a little bit of rage at the ruler of the Norse gods slipping through as they pulled into the salvage yard.

"But we have them back now, and we can show them that they are loved despite what Odin tried to make them believe." Putting the car in park Sam slipped out of the car moving to gather all of the kids clothes and toys and placing them inside.

"Yeah." Gabriel agreed shifting Narvi in his arms so he could pick up Vali and wake Hela. "Hey sleepy head, we're home." Gabriel said giving Hela a little nudge loving the fact he could actual say that now. Hela rubbed her eyes and stretched before helping her dad get her other brothers into the house.

Sam smiled at his family, all of his kids still sleepy and innocent, holding the door open before locking it behind them making sure to reapply the salt lines.

Gabriel lead Hela upstairs knowing Sam would take care of locking up before creating a room conjoining with Sam's for the boys to stay in. It was blue and green themed with two bunk beds and a small walk in closet for all the stuff they had bought. Nothing over the top but still nice. Gabriel made sure all the boys were tucked in and sleeping soundly giving each a quick kiss before heading back out. "So do you want to stay? Or do you want me to take you back to Helheim?" Gabriel asked Hela once he was sure they wouldn't wake her brothers.

Sam continued to check all the sigils and all of the salt lines if angels were attacking his family he wanted it to be as difficult for them to get into the house as possible.

Finishing his sweep Sam headed upstairs just in time to hear Gabriel question their daughter. "You're more then welcome here sweetheart. Not to mention I'm sure your brothers would love to have you here as would me and your father. But it's up to you. We won't force you to stay." Moving over to his daughter Sam pulled her into a tight hug hopefully letting her know that no matter what she decided she was still always loved and welcome.

"I think it'll be best if I go back. As much as I love it here it'll be dangerous for me to stay in an area with so many hunters. I don't want to cause the rest of you to get hurt because of me." She said hugging Sam back not really wanting to leave but knowing with her luck it wouldn't be long until she tripped or something and caused her whole family to have to move or worse.

Sam nodded his understanding, it seemed the Winchester need to protect family ran strongly even in his daughter who, until now, wasn't even a Winchester. "I understand, but promise me you'll visit often and come meet your uncles when they get free. You will always have a home here, Hela, remember that." Sam spoke pushing his own emotions down. It wouldn't do for his daughter to see how devastating news this was to him. Damn hunters, this was the only time that he actively cursed the fact that Bobby was so well known and had drawn so many here.

Hela smiled. "I promise. I wouldn't want to miss getting to hook up my uncles anyway." She said before turning back to Gabriel. "I'm ready to go now Daddy." She said and Gabriel nodded feeling quite upset his daughter wasn't going to stay as well. "Okay, I'll be back in awhile." Gabriel said before grabbing Hela's hand and disappearing to take her back to Helheim.

Sam sighed going to kiss his sons goodnight before heading back downstairs to drown his sorrows over his daughter leaving in beer. If Dean was here he would be calling him a giant girl right now. If he were here was the kicker, wasn't it. "Wish you were here Dean. Here's to you and Cas." Sam spoke to himself saluting his other lost loved ones.

Gabriel sighed watching Sam from the doorway after returning. He knew that if he could get into his library in heaven he could find a way to get Dean and Cas out of Purgatory with little to no hassle but there was a huge chance he would be caught. Still to make Sam happy and let his kids meet their uncles he was thinking it might be worth it. "He'll be back before you know it. If there's one thing I've learned it's that you can't keep a Winchester down." Gabriel said moving to sit across from Sam.

"Hey Gabe. Hela get back okay?" Sam questioned knowing his husband spoke the truth there was little to nothing that could keep a Winchester down when they were adamant in surviving and if there was one thing he knew about Dean was that it would take a Hell Hound or a Trickster God, at this thought Sam smirked to himself, to keep his big brother down and he had a newly promoted archangel with him for back up.

"Yeah, she's fine. Although she did make me promise to pick her up on the weekends so she can visit." Gabriel said knowing Hela was missing Sam just as much as he was missing her already.

That was good news. At least he wouldn't have to wait another lifetime just to see his daughter. "Good, that's good. I'm going to love seeing the shock on Deans face when he finds out his niece and nephews are all Norse gods." That will be a day for the memory banks indeed. Too bad they couldn't introduce them to the rest of the family just yet, though with family like Gabriel's who would really want to? He only had one decent brother to begin with.

"Let's just hope that you're the one who opens the door when he gets back because he'd probably shoot me on sight and while it won't actually kill me it still hurts." Gabriel said with a smirk knowing the older hunter would probably shoot him anyway when he finds out the truth.

"Your as good as shot regardless." Sam chuckled knowing Dean would probably shoot him just because when he finds out that Gabriel got his 'little brother', not once but 5 times, pregnant. "You're a dead man." Sam laughed at the mental image that this whole scenario called up.

"Yep, I'm going to look like Swiss cheese by the time your bro is through with me. Still our kids were worth it." Gabriel said not feeling the least bit sorry about any of his children. No matter how surprised he was finding out about them they were all loved completely. "I can always use you as a shield anyway." He joked knowing Dean wouldn't risk shooting his brother no matter how angry he was at Gabriel.

"They were weren't they? I wouldn't trade them for the world. I guess it's a good thing that both Ragnarok and the apocalypse are permanently on hold so that we won't have to." Sam spoke his eyes far away as he drifted on the sea of his memories. It didn't matter what Dean thought about Gabriel he wouldn't trade any of his tricksters. "And you wouldn't have to use me, I'd jump in front of you first." He promised.

Gabriel shook his head at Sam's words. "It was a joke. If we were in any real danger I'd be sending you and the kids to the other side of the planet to a completely warded safe house before you can get a word in edgewise." Gabriel said seriously. Their kids needed a parent and if either of them had to die it would be Gabriel, he knew Sam would do a better job at raising them then he could on his own.

"Love you too." Sam spoke just as serious easily able to deduce what the archangel was thinking, but he knew that should the event arise that they were in danger, he would rather have Gabriel with them safe and sound then being sent with the kids alone somewhere.

Gabriel smiled at that surprised that Sam actually said he loved him despite the circumstances. "And on that note, I just remembered I have something for you, hold on." Gabriel said cheerfully, getting up and going to find where he had put the thing he had gotten for Sam, well what he had Hela run and get while he and Sam were busy with the boys earlier, but the idea was the same.

Sam just blinked surprised at the tricksters sudden exit, that sure wasn't what he expected from his little declaration. "All right then." Sam spoke to the empty room residing himself to wait and see what his little trickster was up to.

Gabriel was feeling a bit nervous as he made his way back downstairs and handed Sam a little box. "It's sort of a custom in heaven, or it was before, for an angel to give his prospective... 'mate' for lack of a better word, a gift as a sign of commitment or whatever. It's not a big deal or anything, but I thought that if I was going to do this I should do it right. I mean it's probably a dumb idea..." Gabriel rambled before catching himself.

Sam's eyes widened at the little box taking it in surprisingly steady hands, though he was sure the blush on his cheeks gave him away. "I don't know what to say honestly." Sam whispered before opening the box in his hands.

Gabriel shrugged smirking. "Thank you would be a good start. It's made out of the same material as an angel blade so it won't rust or get damaged on a hunt or anything and the writing is all of our names in ancient Enochian- all the kids, Dean, Cas, Bobby, your parents, Ellen, Jo, and myself." Gabriel explained the spiraling script he had had inscribed on the dog tags. "On the back it says 'more than blood'. A bit cliche, I admit but I thought it was appropriate. The other one is a protection charm to counteract the normal Winchester luck you seem to have." Gabriel said feeling a bit silly a slight blush coating his own cheeks as he waited for Sam's reaction.

Smiling softly Sam ran his fingers over the tags glad of this physical reminder of his family and of the extra protection, if one was named Winchester one could never have to much.

Placing the tags around his neck Sam quickly stood up moving over to where Gabriel leaning down and pulling the smaller man into a quick kiss, nothing else seeming to feel right at the moment. "Thank you, Gabriel. I love them and you're right. This is right for us, cliche or not." Sam spoke softly as he pulled back, blushing even harder for his foreword move.

Gabriel's face burned but he couldn't help the smile that broke out across his face at being kissed like that. "I'm glad you like them." Gabriel chuckled unable to help himself with the amount joy he felt and the knowledge that he was probably cherry red right now, just like Sam. "And while we're still being all sappy I love you too." He added lightly.

"Just be glad our brothers aren't here to see us or we'd never live it down" Sam chuckled trying to will the blush from his cheeks though inside he was elated to have his feelings returned.

"And on that high note we might as well follow the kids example and get ready for bed it's getting pretty late." Sam spoke failing to smother a yawn knowing that the kids were going to be up early and he had to begin hitting the books if he wanted to see about finding anything on purgatory and how to crack a portal to get Dean and Cas home safe and sound.

Gabriel nodded feeling a bit tired himself. "I'll agree with you there, on both accounts." He said. Despite not actually needing sleep it was a luxury he enjoyed.

Grabbing Gabriel's hand Sam dragged the archangel to his bedroom still feeling sappy, letting go just long enough to grab his sleep clothes and change before intertwining their fingers to pull him to bed, snuggling close.

Gabriel smiled at Sam's sudden desire to cuddle but felt way too comfortable in his arms to say anything that might make the hunter change his mind. Instead he sighed contently and relaxed letting the sound of Sam's breathing lull him to sleep.

Sam quickly fell asleep wrapped around his husband truly content for what felt like the first time in this life time.

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**Every review is loved and appreciated no matter how small...**


	4. Chapter 4

**Thanks for everyone reading so far! As always I don't own SPN.**

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When Gabriel woke the next morning he wasn't surprised to hear the boys giggling in their room, but since they weren't arguing he decided there was no reason to move from Sam's arms just yet.

Keeping his eyes closed Sam smiled sleepily at the sound of his boys giggling, glad they were having fun. They deserved it after what had happened to them, stretching out the kinks in his body Sam snuggled back against his husband unable to think of a single place in the world he would rather be.

It was only a few minute later when the giggling stopped and was replaced by a deceptive quiet that Gabriel knew he had to get up. Closing his eyes he silently counted to 3 before snatching Vali off the floor where he had been crouched to jump causing the little boy give a yelp before giggling. "Did you really thought you could get me?" Gabriel asked his son with a smirk.

Sitting up in bed Sam smiled at the sweetly domestic scene. Father and son truly looked happy for the first time in millennia.

Getting up off the bed Sam pulled both them into his arms laying a gentle kiss on both Vali and Gabriel's heads. "Sleep well my little loves?" Sam teased eying the other boys who were peeking at them from behind the bedroom door.

"Yep!" Vali said happily from Gabriel's arms while everyone else hid back in the room at getting caught."You got the short end of the stick, huh kiddo? Your brothers send you in here without back up?" Gabriel asked lightly. Vali shrugged."We played rock paper scissors." he admitted.

Sam smirked. "Like father like sons" Sam laughed before going over to grab Narvi and the other two, slinging both Fenny and Jor over his shoulders and carrying Narvi under the other arm. "Look I found the other little conspirators." Sam teased walking into the room happily

Gabriel grinned "So now we captured them but what should we do with them?" Gabriel asked Sam mischievously causing the boys to gulp nervously. "You should let us go and pretend it didn't happen?" Vali suggested bravely from his position on the bed with Gabriel.

"I think torture sounds like a good idea, don't you? They need to know what happens to those who get caught." Sam smirked locking eyes with Gabriel a mischievous spark in his eyes.

"I think you read my mind." Gabriel commented before snatching up Narvi from Sam's arms and starting to tickle his sons mercilessly, delighting in their laughter.

Throwing the other two gently onto the bed Sam followed suit tickling his sons until they begged for mercy. Laughing along with the little boys, his eyes shining happily at his family, before dropping a gentle kiss to each boy's forehead. Sam turned giving Gabriel a soft kiss too, catching the angel off guard, before standing. "I'm going to go scour Booby's library and see if I can find anything on Purgatory. Let me know if you need me for anything." Sam spoke happily smiling at his family before leaving the room.

Gabriel blinked at the kiss, not snapping out of it until Sam was gone. "I guess it's time to get dressed, come on I'll help you pick out outfits." Gabriel told the boys leading them back into their room.

A few minutes later the boys were all dressed and in the living room drawing pictures while Gabriel flipped through books nearby looking for away to open purgatory and get Dean and Cas back. All in all they looked like a perfectly normal innocent middle class family.

Sam could hear his family in the other room talking and giggling quietly so as not to disturb him. Smiling and shaking his head at himself wondering when he had gotten so domestic. Tossing another book aside Sam moved on to the next in the pile hoping that this one would be more promising then the last dozen had proven. All had some mentions of purgatory but none so far gave him any indication on how to break in, rather it was all on how a demon or monster might be sent to purgatory once killed.

Sighing at the lack of helpful text Gabriel conjured himself another book from the countless libraries he had hidden around the world. This one, ironically, was about pagan gods and how someone could curse them to go to purgatory when they died so they couldn't be brought back. Gabriel almost just tossed it aside without reading it until he saw there was a passage on Helheim in it. Curious he flipped to the chapter and started reading eventually ending up laughing. "Sam! Come here! I found something!" Gabriel shouted a wide smile on his face as his kids looked at him curiously.

Sam jumped at Gabriel's shout not expecting it before dropping everything he was doing and rushing to the other room just in case something had happened. "What? What's wrong" Sam asked his eyes scanning all of his sons first and then his husband for injuries just in case, a angel blade already in hand on instinct.

"Calm down,we're not being attacked, I found us a way to get Dean and Cassy out of purgatory and it's relatively easy." Gabriel explained waving the book around as he gestured excitedly.

Sam sighed in relief before relaxing, he had lost his family more then once and Gods forbid he ever let it happen again.

Placing the angel blade back in his coat, Sam walked into the room ruffling all the boys hair as he went. "So what do we need to do? The sooner their both home the better." Sam spoke slipping beside Gabriel on the couch to get a look at the book.

"Well, we're gonna need to talk to Hela, apparently there's a back door to Purgatory in Helheim, but only Hela will be able to open it." Gabriel said handing Sam the book.

"Sounds easy enough, but who would we trust enough to watch the boys? If Bobby were still alive I would leave them with him but as he's passed and I wouldn't trust any of the Norse gods and goddesses..." Sam mused everyone he had ever loved and trusted was now long since dead so that left no one on his end.

Gabriel bit his lip running through a mental list of everyone he knew that wasn't dead or a homicidal maniac and ended up with no one. "Well, we could possibly find Sleph and ask if he would be willing to watch his brothers or, on a bit more risky side I could sneak back into heaven and try to get a scroll from my library that I was planning on trying to get anyway. If I get the scroll I can resurrect dear old Bobby and, after we explain, he can watch the boys." Gabriel plotted out loud. "I was hoping to get Cas back before going to heaven though because I'm 90% sure I'll be caught and it'll be nice to have back up." He said explaining why he hadn't said anything about bringing Bobby back earlier.

Sam cringed at the thought of Gabriel being caught by the host. He didn't want to think what they would do to his trickster angel. "I would ask Sleph. As much as I would love to have Bobby home, that can wait. I'm not willing to risk you." Sam said pulling Gabriel close Sam held his trickster for a moment before letting go to sweep his mini tricksters into his arms. "We might as well see what Slephnir is up to for the weekend."

Gabriel nodded and pulled his phone out of his pocket scrolling down to his son's number and taking a deep breath before pushing send. "Let's just hope he'll pick up." Gabriel muttered worried Sleph wouldn't pick up if he knew who was calling. To his surprise however he answered after the first ring.

"Dad?" Slephnir asked sounding surprised. "Uh, yeah, I hope I'm not bugging you." Gabe responded a bit awkwardly. "Bugging me? I thought you were dead! Sif went looking for Odin when he didn't return and she said you had all been murdered!" Sleph exclaimed causing Gabriel to frown.

"I'm sorry to disappoint but your mom brought me back and well it's a long story but in the end we brought your brothers back too." Gabriel said giving Sam a weak smile.

"Disappoint? Wait mom? She's with you?" He asked causing Gabriel to chuckle. "You should just come over and we can talk here it, it's a bit much to explain over the phone." Gabriel said.

"Okay I'll be right over." Sleph answered getting the address before hanging up. Gabriel followed suite not surprised when Sleph appeared a few seconds later. He looked near identical to Gabriel except taller and thinner and had longer shaggier, they easily could have been mistaken for twin brothers.

Sam stayed with his boys as Gabriel called the last of their children, mentally crossing his fingers that Slephnir cared enough to spend time with his siblings and do Loki this small favor.

Eyes widening when Gabriel had barely hung up the phone and the last of their children appeared, the splitting image of his father in every way but height and his hair. Staying where he was holding his younger children, he let the father and son reconnect. He could only hope that this would finally mend the bridge that had been broken so long ago.

"Hi." Gabriel said nervously nearly yelping when his son walked over and hugged him tightly. "I'm sorry about what I said before. I was angry and hurt and I didn't mean it. When Sif said you were dead... I regretted everything. I don't want that again. I love you and I'm sorry. Can you forgive me?" He cried. Gabriel relaxed, huffing out a breath he didn't know he was holding and returned Sleph's hug.

"Well if you put it that way... I love you too kiddo, no matter how irritating you are." he said before turning to the rest of his family. "Sleph this is Sammy." He said smiling when Sleph's eyes widened. "Mom?"

Sam smiled standing up and moving to stand in front of Slephnir looking down at the ageless man before him. "Hey kid it's been a long time hasn't it." He spoke softly eyes raking over his son's form committing it to memory it had been centuries since he had last seen Slephnir as Sigyn and Gods it was good to see him alive and whole after so long.

"Too long." Sleph replied hugging Sam. "It's good to know he's got someone to keep him in check too." He added with a smirk toward Gabriel.

"I resent that." Gabriel said with a smile before sobering up. "Listen we need a favor. Sam's brother Dean and my little bro Cas are trapped in Purgatory. We found a way in to get them but we need someone to watch these guys..." Gabriel ruffled Jor's hair "While we're gone. We need Hela's help so she can't watch them so we were hoping you might be willing." He finished looking at Sleph hopefully.

Sleph laughed "Of course! It'll be nice to actually get to know my family after everything. Speaking of which where is Hela? I would think she would be attached to your hip- always a daddy's girl." He teased to which Gabriel snorted. "She just went back to Helheim. You know how hard the way she looks is on her. She was worried someone might see her and come after us." He sighed wishing there was something he could do to help his daughter. Sleph nodded. "Well it is worst for her then the rest of us. We look human enough unless we shift forms, she's stuck looking half dead all the time." He commented knowing if he was stuck in his other form all the time he'd be upset too.

Sam hugged his eldest close. While Loki may have given birth to Slephnir, Sigyn had always been his mother blood or no blood. "I've missed you my son you have no idea how much. Even when I couldn't remember I missed you and your siblings." Placing a gentle kiss on the shorter man's head Sam vowed once more that nothing would separate his family.

Stepping back to get a good look at his son Sam smiled. "Thank you for watching your brothers. This means a lot to us both, Dean and Castiel are two of the kindest people God, mortal, or angel in all of the Realms and I can't wait for you to meet your uncles."

Sleph chuckled. "Well then I can't wait to meet them either." he said happily. Gabriel nodded. "Just a warning, don't mess with the car. It's Deano's pride and joy and I'm pretty sure he'd have a heart attack if something happened to it while he was gone." He commented before turning to Sam. "Just let me know when you want to go."

Sam smirked at his son "Though feel free to mess with your uncle any other way. Oh and if you can figure out a way to push your uncles together once they get home go for it. Hela and your brothers are in on the plot too so have fun." Giving the young God one more brief hug pressing a kiss to his forehead Sam moved to stand beside Gabriel.

"Whenever you are ready. The faster we get Dean and Cas home the better. I don't want them spending one more moment in that place if they don't have too." Sam spoke flexing his quickly returning powers getting a feel for them without Sigyn's help changing his clothes into armor not unlike that Loki used to wear centuries ago before things went wrong.

Gabriel smirked at Sam's new outfit. "Well then we better get going. Don't destroy the house while we're gone." He said grabbing Sam's hand and teleporting them to just outside Hela's castle. It was huge and oppressing against the near black backdrop of the sky, mist surrounding from all sides hiding the land of the dead from any who may come. The two spirits that stood guard at the gate surrounding the castle crossed blades at the new comer's arrival. "We are here to see Queen Hela. We're her parents and mean her no harm." Gabriel addressed them cutting his palm and letting some of his blood drip onto the ground. After a moment the spirits uncrossed their weapons and opened the gate bowing in respect as Sam and Gabriel entered.

Sam looked around quickly very quickly deducing that he didn't like where his daughter was forced to live it was to dark and dismal for his beautiful little girl. Hopefully she would spend more time with them then here in Helheim.

Following Gabriel through the dark palace Sam nodded to the spirit servants as they passed them. He wasn't here for pleasantries but that didn't mean he couldn't be polite.

Gabriel lead Sam up into the castle quickly easily on edge do to the amount of guards he noticed. Usually Hela kept things light not wanting to feel trapped herself. Pausing briefly outside the throne room to steel himself, Gabriel pushed the doors open expecting the guards which immediately pointed their weapons at him and Sam. "Daddy? You're back early. Relax, they're no threat." Hela ordered causing the guards to return to their posts. She had her hair up in a bun and was dressed in armor watching Sam's current attire, her crown sitting lightly on her head. "What's going on? You tripled the guard and look about ready to go to battle." Gabriel asked seriously. Hela sighed. "Angels. I was about to call you, I promise. They want into purgatory too. I assume you figured it out since you're here before I called."

Sam took on a protective stance in front of his daughter scanning around the room for a threat. "You're alright beautiful?" Sam asked making sure to look the entire room over and then one more time before relaxing finding no threat.

"We have to hurry then if the angels are after Purgatory too who knows what could happen to Dean and Cas should the angels get to them first; And yes we figured it out as well though I never would have thought the angels would be going after it." Sam growled at the thought of angels once more trying to harm his family.

"I'm fine, and they wouldn't hurt me even if they managed to get in. I'm the only one who can open the door." Hela explained placing her hand on Sam's arm hoping he'd calm down. "But it does cause other problems. Helheim has doorways to many other realms and if any of them feel threatened then they may suggest war against heaven and Helheim in turn. Then Midgard, most likely, would be caught in the middle. I have a plan to prevent all this of course so no need to panic." She said slowly realizing that Sam would probably freak at that news and she probably shouldn't have said anything.

Hela was right, any threat to his daughter from the angels was like a threat to him. "If any of them touch you they will pay in blood!" Sam growled he truly had enough with the thrice cursed angels and messing with his family and other peoples lives. So much for the guardians that the stories portray, no they were simply harbingers "Let's get going the more time we wait the more time there is for the angels to stage a counter attack."

"Sam you need to relax. While I agree with you completely, and don't anything happening to any of our kids, you need to have a clear mind if we're going to make it in and out of Purgatory without someone getting hurt. Now where's the door Hela and how long do we have? I need to know everything you've got." Gabriel spoke calmly focusing on the task at hand knowing he can take care of his brothers later. As the archangel of justice Gabriel had seen plenty of war and violence and knew whoever was running heaven wouldn't be foolish enough to attack Helheim without proper knowledge of it and it's defenders.

Hela lead her parents down several hallways until they reached a gray archway inscribed with Norse runes. "I can open the portal once every 24 hours and keep it open for an hour each time but when it is open anything can come in or out of it. I also can't control where it'll open though it should be within a few miles of my intended target aka you guys. I'm pretty sure the angels only want Uncle Cas but I don't know why so once you guys return the plan is to make sure they know Castiel isn't in Purgatory anymore so they'd have no reason to be here. I suggest you summon any weapons or such now because once your inside your powers will be frozen. Other then that I don't know. I should be able to get you somewhat close to where my Uncles are since Dean isn't supposed to be there and his soul stands out like a sore thumb, though." Hela explained all she knew about the portal.

Sam nodded closing his eyes and counting down from fifty focusing on letting each of his muscles relax before opening his eyes again knowing that Gabriel wouldn't let Sam walk into anything while he focused on relaxing.

Sam came back to himself in time to hear Hela talk about how their powers would be frozen summoning Ruby's knife along with the angel blade placing them in scabbards at his hips, making sure he had his shotgun full of rock salt along with plenty of extra rounds and plenty of other blades all of which he knew were pure silver and 100% balanced for ease if he had to throw them. "Ready. Stay safe Hela we'll be back with your uncles before you know it." Sam spoke his eyes determined ready and willing to do whatever it took to get Dean and Cas back.

Gabriel nodded in agreement summoning himself his angel blade tucking it away in his jacket with several other little things he thought might come in handy. Giving Hela a smile and a nod to let her know he was ready she opened the portal."I'll send up a flare wherever I open it next time so you can find it. Good luck. I love you." She said and Gabriel quickly kissed her cheek. "You too sweetling." He responded before once again grabbing Sam's hand not wanting them to get separated.

"Love you as well Princess, wish us luck" Sam spoke with all the affection of a parent for their child. Squeezing Gabriel's hand tightly letting the trickster angel know he was there he walked into the portal expecting the worst of the worst.

"Okay so we're close to them according to Hela and we have less then an hour to get them back here." Gabriel said looking at the endless forest in front of them. "Where should we go?" He finally asked looking up at Sam.

Sam looked around the monotonous gray forest giving him the shivers. Just the feel of the place put one on edge and the lack of his, now familiar, powers put him even more on edge. "Dean would most likely be in a place that was easy to defend. Cas wasn't in the best of shape when we beat the Leviathan. The Hallucination of Luci, that he took from me, had been driving him mad. So I would guess towards that way." Sam pointed to the left where what looked like a possible cave within where all the trees stood.

Trees, rocks, and hills every where they looked. This was not a place for one to keep their minds in tact that was for sure. He could only hope his brother and Cas would still be sane when they found them.

"Okay. Cave it is" Gabriel said reminding himself to ask Sam about what happened later while pulling out a dagger and carefully making his way toward the cave marking some trees they passed with a symbol that should Cas come across it should let him know where to find them while also marking their way back to the portal.

Sam noticed the symbols but couldn't read them, obviously Enochian. He hoped they ran into Dean and Cas before any monsters grabbing Ruby's knife in one hand and angel blade in the other Sam slicked towards the cave in the distance.

Once they arrived close to the cave Gabriel stopped not wanting to surprise them if they were inside. "Dean? Listen it's Gabriel and if you're here please come out. I know you probably hate my guts but Sammy here wants you back and who am I to argue." He spoke loud enough that if Dean was nearby he'd hear him but not loud enough to cause a huge commotion.

"Dean come on it's me! We're here to take you and Cas home but we don't have a lot of time please answer me." Sam called his voice pleading knowing that his and Gabriel's calls would have alerted any nearby monsters

Sam waited for about half a minute more before movement to his right caught his eye. "Sammy?" Dean questioned peaking out from behind a tree his guard clearly up the older hunter clinging to a crudity made blade holding it at the ready for any threat. "Yes it's me, Jerk. Hurry where's Cas, we have to go." Sam spoke quickly hurrying to his brothers side ignoring the weapon and pulling Dean into a hug nearly melting with relief when the older hunter returned it.

Straightening quickly Dean glanced once at the presumed dead trickster his eyes widening in surprise, before he turned and left the clearing quickly returning with a wounded and obviously exhausted Castiel leaning against him. "Hello Gabriel, Samuel." Cas rasped before passing out in Dean's hold forcing the hunter to take all his weight.

"We don't have much more time. And now everything knows where we are. Do you have Cas or do you need one of us to carry him? Hela's waiting with the portal but we don't have a lot of time left before she'd have to close it." Gabriel said eyeing his younger brother worriedly.

"I've got him. Who's Hela? And why are you dressed like a super villain?" Dean spoke pulling Cas into a fireman's carry against his back. He had gotten so used to watching Cas' back and having Cas watch his that it was only natural.

"Hela's my daughter, and your niece. You'll meet her soon." Sam spoke not even hesitating for a moment to claim Hela as his own. She was his and he was hers, that's just how it was. "Wait! Daughter? Sammy?" Dean parroted wide eyed at his brother. Since when had Sam had children? But then again for all he knew years could have passed on Earth and Sam could have settled down. "I'll explain everything later, right now we have to move." Sam spoke before grabbing Gabriel's hand and heading towards the portal.

Dean ground his teeth at the sight of Gabriel's hand in his little brother's. He may think the guy had style, and the angel may have sacrificed his life to help them, but that didn't mean he trusted him completely with his little brother. Still that was for another time after they were out of this place.

Gabriel could feel Dean's glare and he knew that he'd be getting an earful later but it was to be expected. When they got to the portal Gabriel stopped "Okay when we get back we need to get Cas to the east tower, Hela has healers there that can help they've fixed me up before." He said keeping an eye out for monsters so Dean and Cas can go first.

"Sammy?" Dean questioned looking over his shoulder at his brother and the trickster when he was motioned forward.

"Just trust him Dean. Hela's family, she won't do anything to hurt us, just go." Sam petitioned noticing movement in the trees grabbing his blades Sam locked eyes with his brother before Dean finally nodded and hurried to the portal. Gabriel would here it from him later, but right now he just wanted to get him and Cas safe.

Sam relaxed momentarily as Dean and Cas entered the portal they were safe finally. "Let's go, I don't think Hela can maintain the portal much longer and I personally don't want to deal with whatever is stalking us at the moment." He said going into the portal after his brother.

"I don't know it might be easier for me then your brother..." Gabriel teased following Sam through the portal glad they had managed to pull this off without error until he felt a sharp pain and looked down to see blood pooling near his shoulder. "Of course, it'll be too much good luck for a Winchester if we all made it out okay." He thought irritably before passing out, dimly noticing Hela close the portal and rush over before it went dark.

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**Please review! Each one means the world to me and encourages me to continue.**


	5. Chapter 5

**(I don't own spn)**

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Hela watched her uncles come through the portal followed by her mom and dad. As soon as she saw her dad made it in, she closed the portal panting at the release of energy before noticing the blood soaking through her dad's shirt and jacket. "Daddy!" She cried rushing over to his side.

"Gabriel!" Sam gasped out in shock as he watched his lover go limp blood pooling from his shoulder and chest. Quickly catching the limp angel, Sam lowered him to the floor. Things had gone so well and now this. He hadn't even seen what had hit him.

"Sammy, what's going on? What happened?" Dean asked seeing Sam clutching a downed trickster along with a young woman dressed in armor similar to that which his brother was currently wearing.

"Not now Dean, take care of Cas." Sam spoke quickly his eyes on his lover wondering why he wasn't healing. They were back in Helheim surely their powers should be restored. So what was wrong?

Hela's thoughts were along the same line as Sam's. Her dad should be healing even if it was a serious injury. "Can you carry him? I have healers. Maybe they'll know what's wrong with him." She spoke quickly knowing she needed to lead her uncles up to the tower as well.

Sam nodded sweeping Gabriel up into his arms carrying him tight to his chest. "Come on Dean hurry!" Sam spoke as he rushed past his brother on his daughter's heels. Blinking Dean wisely didn't say anything, the fear in his little brothers eyes having urged him into silence. Hopefully where ever they were going there would be someone who could help Cas, and yes even the Trickster archangel.

Hela quickly lead her family members up to the east tower sending several guards to prepare the healers ahead of them. She had never seen her dad this seriously injured and she was worried she might lose him again so soon after getting her family back. When they arrived there were two beds already ready for her uncle and father. "Do whatever necessary to get them both in stable condition. I want to be notified about anything and everything that happens immediately." She ordered before looking at her mom and uncle. "It'll be easier for them to work without us here getting in their way." She said her voice shaking a bit as she tried to hold herself together. "You must be Dean, pleasure to meet you. I'm Hela, I'm the second oldest and Queen of this realm so if you need something let me know." She greeted Dean kindly as a way to distract herself.

"You too..." Dean spoke glancing over at his niece shocked at the half dead appearance of the girl. Normally he would have freaked out over his brother claiming a monster as his daughter, but now wasn't the time or place, so he quickly returned his eyes onto his brother and angel. "Sorry, this isn't under better circumstances."

Sam nodded wrapping his daughter in his arms as Dean spoke, and leading them all from the healing chambers though everything in him was screaming to stay and never leave Gabriel's side. Closing the door Sam leaned against it hugging his daughter close knowing she was just as close to breaking as he was, maybe more so. "It'll be alright Princess. Gabriel is the strongest person I know: God or Angel."

"I know..." Hela commented weakly glad she had her mom there at least. "You should call Sleph and let him know what's going on. It may take a while for Dad to get better and my brothers are prone to worry if you don't come home tonight." She said forcing herself to believe her dad will be fine.

"Who's Sleph? Sammy what's going on? Brothers? How many are we talking about here?" Dean spoke eyes wide. One kid was enough, but more then that? This was his baby brother and to find out he had gotten himself a family that didn't include him was almost more then he could bare at the moment.

"Slephnir's the oldest in the family and my son. In all there is Fenrir, Jormungandr, the twins- Narvi and Vali, Hela, and Slephnir. And yes I know you know their names, and yes they are who you think they are, and no I'm not going to deal with your ranting right now Dean." Sam spoke knowing the look on Deans face meant just that. Sam smoothed his daughter's hair gently and gave her one more squeeze before letting go. "So, shall we call your brothers baby girl?"

Hela was tempted to laugh at the look on her uncle's face after her mom shut him down but managed to restrain herself to just a smirk. "Don't worry we're all quite nice and I'm sure my brothers would all like to know about your 'baby' and how come they have a car as a cousin. And the phone should be just down the hall" She teased hoping to lighten the situation. She really hoped her uncle would at least give them a chance.

Sam smiled lightly at the joke while Dean looked at the girl shocked for a moment before quirking a smirk of his own. "Well. you've got me there. Normally I wouldn't say or do this but as Sam has claimed you as family and the last time I doubted him it nearly got us both killed and you did help us get out of Purgatory. So I guess what I'm trying to say is... welcome to the family." Dean commented remembering everything that had happened during the whole Ruby fiasco and apocalypse.

Smiling Sam sighed knowing that the rant wasn't avoided just put on hold. Dean would wait till they were alone and the situation wasn't so dire. "Thanks Dean I really wish things had have been better for when you met the kids, but it can't be helped. Come on let's go call them Hela." He said.

Hela grinned knowing that was her uncle's way of saying he'd give her a chance and lead them to a huge library that covered the south-east corner of the castle. Inside on a huge desk covered in scrolls and papers was a old phone that Hela picked up. "This line should be secure, I use it for business." She told Sam.

Sam nodded at his daughters words taking the phone from Hela ignoring Dean's quiet laugh at the fact that there were actual phones in Helheim. Quickly dialing the number Sam waited for one of his boys to answer.

"Hello?" Sleph answered watching as his brothers tried to build a tower out of the cards they had been playing with a few minutes ago. "Is that dad?" Jor asked hopefully catching the others attention.

"Hey kid." Sam spoke in relief glad to hear his eldest's voice. "How are your brothers?" Needing to know that at least the most vulnerable of his family were okay before telling them of the state their uncle and father are in.

"No, it's mom." Sleph whispered to his brothers his hand over the receiver. "They're fine. We're all fine. We were actually working on building a card house. How about you guys? Did everything go okay?" He asked back hoping both his parents were okay and he'd get to meet his uncles soon.

"Good, that's good I'm glad you guys are having fun. Just be careful with some of those old Tarrot decks that your Grandpa Bobby left around." Sam commented knowing one or more of the decks had been blessed by powerful witches and shamans and he wasn't quite sure what they all did.

"You're lucky Bobby can't hear you call him Grandpa or he'd have a stroke." Dean laughed in the background.

"As I'm sure you can hear, that's your uncle Dean. Both he and your uncle Cas were rescued, though both your uncle Cas and your dad were injured. But Hela has them under the best healers she has so we'll be home as soon as we can." Sam spoke in a rush to just get all of the information out. He knew Dean was right though. Bobby probably would have had a stroke if he knew that not only had Sam given him grandchildren but they were Gods as well.

"Okay. Tell dad we miss him and we'll see you when you get back. We love you." Sleph said not wanting his siblings to worry about their dad unless absolutely necessary.

One of Hela's servants came up to her while Sam was speaking to the boys. "Queen Hela? We've taken care of the blue eyed angel as instructed and we believe he will be fine after he rests. None of his injuries are substantial and are already healing properly." The spirit explained. Hela bit her lip.

"And my Dad? Is he going to be alright as well?" She asked dreading the answer. The spirit trembled in response.

"We've cleaned and bandaged his wound and it has stopped bleeding as profusely, but he has lost a lot of blood and is still not healing. He appears to be having nightmares as well, and we're afraid that he might aggravate his wound if we don't find a way to calm him." The spirit spoke quickly feeling upset that he had failed his queen. Hela sighed. "Thank you for updating me, you may return to your post." She dismissed him.

"Love you too Sleph. Give your brothers hugs from me, your dad, and uncles. Hopefully we'll be back soon." Hanging up the phone Sam turned to look at Hela worry shining in his eyes at over hearing the servant's news.

"Well, at least it sounds like they will be okay. Right Sammy?" Dean commented trying to cheer up his little brother and new niece. Not that it looked like it worked any. "Yeah. Thanks Dean. Hela, I'm going to go check on your dad. Maybe I'll be able to calm him down enough that he can rest and heal from whatever injured him in the first place." Sam spoke before heading to the door and back the way they had come, thanking the gods for a near photo graphic memory.

Hela sighed sitting in a nearby chair and giving Dean a half smile for trying. "So do you have any questions or anything? I know you don't really trust me, understandably with me looking all freakish and being something you'd normally hunt and all, but maybe it'll help if you know me a little better?" She offered her uncle while conjuring herself a slice of apple pie with ice cream on top to help with her nerves. It was a bad habit she had picked up thanks to Gabriel, she always craved sweets when she was nervous or worried and pie was one of her favorites.

Dean eyed the dessert ravenously. When was the last time he had pie? "Conjure one of those for me and it'll go a long way. And you're right. This is weird and normally I'd be looking for the nearest stake but this isn't normal so you can start with how my little brother ended up with you as a daughter; particularly with who your dad is. Don't get me wrong he stood up in the end, but seriously did he have to kill me thousands of times?" Dean commented leaning back against the wall.

Hela smirked at Dean's request and conjured her uncle up a piece of pie as well before settling in to tell him the story. "Well I'm sure you know the myths at least a bit. My dad, Gabriel that is, disguised himself as Loki and he fell in love with the goddess Sigyn. They got married and had two sons- the twins Vali and Narvi. You know my dad though, he can't resist the urge to piss people off. He insulted a couple of the gods and they wanted revenge so they kidnapped the twins and killed them while making my parents watch. It gets more gruesome then that, but I'll save you the details. Later, one of my dad's brothers killed my mom for refusing to tell him where my dad was at the time. He got back home just in time to watch her die as well. A couple of hundreds of years later he met Angrboda, Sigyn's reincarnation and after some debating let himself fall in love again. I was born first, then Jor, then Fenny and we lived in relative peace for a few years. Then Odin became afraid of us after hearing some human's prophecies saying we'd kill him and take over. This made him plan to kidnap and kill us as well, but my Dad found out about it last minute and tried to protect us. He sent me here and told my mom to take the boys somewhere else but they were captured and killed as well. All these years he's visited me at least once a month, but he couldn't stand to stay long because I reminded him of the rest of our family. Your brother is Sigyn's third reincarnation and after finding out he adopted us as his family." She finished.

Dean nearly choked on his pie at that information. All these years, all these years of calling his little brother a girl and it was actually true. But the fact that Sam had been married to the trickster was a little bit harder to swallow, particularly after everything Gabriel put them through over the years. "If Sam's your dad's wife reincarnated then why man?" Dean asked more to himself then any one else.

Hela shook her head, knowing what Dean was referring to. "In his own messed up way he was trying to save both of you. I had to hear him rant every time one of you made a demon deal, or one of you went off to get yourself killed. Plus he didn't know about who Sam was until just before he went to that hotel." She explained knowing her dad had a lot to answer for but he had at least had good intentions.

"If Sam was his so called wife how could he not know? I mean it's not like this is the first time it's happened." Dean growled annoyed for his brothers sake that all the pain the trickster put them through could have been avoided if the trickster would have just opened his eyes.

"You really think your brother looks like a petite woman with silver blonde hair and gray eyes? Sure it's happened before but pain blinds people from the obvious. I'm not saying my dad was right in what he did but with his life do you really think he knew any better? That's how his brothers taught him lessons, trapping him and making him complete tasks to escape. Do you really think Michael or Lucifer or any other one of those dirt bags taught him to politely explain the situation and gently guide someone through it? The pagans are usually no better, though being around humans at least gives them a sort of remorse sometimes." Hela ranted right back sick and tired of everyone thinking the worse of her family before biting her lip. "I'm sorry for loosing my temper, I'm usually not so testy it's just I'm worried about him and there are angels trying to break into my domain and my brothers are at Bobby's alone so who knows how long until some hunter comes along and tries to kill them..." She sighed before pulling herself together. "I'm sure you'd rather be with Castiel then here with me, he should be awake soon. If you want one of my servants can lead you to bedroom where you can change, they should have clothes your size. I can to go see about getting some food ready?" She offered not wanting to offend her uncle so soon after meeting him.

"Don't worry about it. We're all stressed to the max and that was callous of me. Me and your dad may not have got along in the past, but he did just save my bacon, again, and if there's one thing a Winchester does it's pay their debts. Besides, I guess he's my brother-in-law now no matter how weird it is to say that." Dean teased reaching over and brushing some of Hela's hair that had fell in her face behind her ear to see her more clearly and hopefully soothe the stressed out Goddess.

"As for your brothers... You don't need to worry about them. If they're at Bobby's then there is nothing that's getting at them. Bobby had his house built and warded to withstand a supernatural nuclear bomb as well as Angels. There is not much that can get into Bobby's place undetected plus there's also the panic room they can run to if pressured." Dean continued to try and soothe her. This was something he was used to. Hela may be a couple hundred years his senior but from what he could tell she was still just a scared little kid looking for reassurance and love.

"Thanks." Hela said honestly, actually extremely comforted by Dean's words. "How about we go check up on everyone. We still need to figure out what to do about the angels before we leave and it'll be best if we were together for that." She suggested.

"Well, as you said, let's go check on the rest of this rather dysfunctional family shall we." Dean smiled offering his goddess niece, and wasn't that a strange thought, his hand. Dean Winchester was nothing if not a gentlemen to the ladies, and being family just had the added perk of being completely spoiled and protected rather then just charmed.

Hela graciously took her uncle's hand. "Dysfunctional is an understatement. Yet, I don't think I'd have it any other way." She responded letting him lead both of them back to the healing room.

_Meanwhile..._

Hurrying down the halls Sam ignored the spirit servants around him as he hurried to Gabriel's side slipping into the room not paying Cas much mind, save the cursory glance. Snapping his fingers, like he'd seen the trickster do one time too many if only to calm himself, Sam conjured a chair to sit in playing sentinel for the man he had once more grown to love hoping his presence may ease the others nightmares.

Gabriel couldn't understand what was happening. One minute he was in peaceful blackness the next he was watching his sons cry for his help as several gods started chanting, others holding him back as they murdered his babies. Somewhere in his mind he realized this had already happened but the fear and anger clouded his thoughts causing him to fight back anyway. Outside of his dream he struggled against the healers begging weakly for them to let him go and not to hurt his children.

"Stand aside!" Sam commanded the healers knowing at the moment that they were doing more harm then good. Gabriel was too upset and scared, fear and loss was pouring off the trickster in waves. Moving over to the bed Sam slipped onto it pulling the terrified trickster into his arms muttering soothing nothings to the other man in an effort to calm him and letting him know that this time he was here and safe and that their kids were safe.

Gabriel was surprised when he suddenly wasn't being restrained any more and looking around he saw he was no longer in Asgard, instead now he was back at Bobby's place all his kids safely asleep nearby. He let out a relieved sigh and relaxed back onto the bed letting his panic subside before deciding he didn't want to sleep anymore, just in case the nightmare came back. He wasn't surprised that when he opened his eyes Sam was there holding him and talking softly to him knowing his lover was probably what caused the dream to change. "Sammy? What happened?" He asked hoarsely realizing just how horrible he felt.

"I'm here Gabriel." Sam murmured softly placing a gentle kiss into Gabriel's golden hair. "It's all alright Dean and Cas are fine we got them out. But you were hurt, I have no idea as to what got you, but you weren't healing. You still aren't healing like you should be." Sam literally shuddered at the thought that he could have lost Gabriel again, that he still could, flashed through his minds eye causing the taller man to compulsively pull the little angel tighter against him if only to prove to himself that his lover still lived and breathed.

Gabriel sighed figuring out what happened before giving Sam a reassuring smile "I'll be okay. I think I know what happened, and it's not forever. Hela is okay though, right? And the boys? Did you call them?" Gabriel asked worriedly, his dream still fresh in his mind.

Looking down at Gabriel Sam smiled glad to know that his lover would heal though still shaken from the blood loss and sudden loss of consciousness. "Hela and Dean are just fine Cas was pretty beat up but the healers say it's nothing serious just fatigue mainly and minor injuries. For now we were just waiting for you and Cas to wake up."

Gabriel shook his head fighting off the drowsiness hating feeling so weak and helpless "Good, I don't know how long I'm going to be like this but I'm thinking it'll wear off in a week." He slurred exhausted but still worried about falling back to sleep.

Sam chuckled lightly at the exhausted archangel he really did make a cute picture like this, the blood and grace stained shoulder not withstanding. "Go to sleep Gabriel, heal, I'll be here to fight off the nightmares I promise."

Gabriel yawned letting his eyes close and leaning his head on Sam "Love you too." He tried to say but wasn't sure if he managed before falling into a comforted dreamless sleep.

Pressing a kiss against Gabriel's forehead at the whispered words, if he hadn't been focused so completely on the little angel in his arms Sam was sure that he would have missed it. "You as well Gabriel, always have, always will." Shifting slightly into a more comfortable position Sam leaned against the headboard keeping a silent vigil on his husband.

Motioning the healers back over Gabriel being relaxed enough for the healers to work though he utterly refused to move from his position forcing the healers to work around him.

Hela and Dean entered the room a little later. Seeing the healers working over her Dad while her mom watched them carefully Hela decided it was best to check on her other uncle first. Dragging Dean over to Castiel's bed she was happily surprised to see him awake. "Hello, I'm Hela. Gabriel's daughter. Are you feeling alright?" she asked letting go of Dean's hand.

Cas had been awake for a few minutes silently watching his brother's interaction with Sam, first with suspicion over his motives but then with shock at the admission of love between the two. For an angel to declare love for anyone other then their father was a huge thing and was very rare. To have the love of an angel, even one so twisted by his time with the pagans as Gabriel, was an honor he wasn't sure Sam completely understood.

Snapping his eyes away from Sam, Gabriel, and the healers Cas looked at the young woman who stood with his charge. Looking at the young women for a few moments Cas could see his brother in her; despite her half corpse like appearance she shone with angelic grace, though it was extremely skillfully hidden, Gabriel's handy work no doubt. "Hello Hela, I'm Castiel an angel of The Lord and Gabriel's youngest brother." Cas greeted the young woman before turning his eyes to his beloved charge. "Hello Dean is everything alright?"

"Everything's fine Cas. Sam and your trickster of a brother somehow got us out it seems for now we're safe." Dean spoke softly answering Castiel's unspoken question. They could relax for now, they didn't need to keep their guard up like they had been for who knows how long. Finally they could relax.

Hela had to hold back a chuckle knowing her parents had been spot on about her uncles. "My dad told me about you before. I think he has a lot of respect for you, not that he'd ever admit it, but he said he thought you were brave and that he wished more angels would have ended up like you." She remembered honestly, knowing her dad would probably deny it if he was awake but thinking her uncle should hear it all the same. "If there's anything you ever need let me know, I rule over this domain and would be happy to help." She offered feeling much more at ease in being surrounded by her family.

"Thank you Hela." Cas spoke surprised to hear that Gabriel thought so highly of him, he had always thought that his brother didn't care for him much as he was a reminder of everything he gave up. "And thank you Sam. You and Gabriel both."

"Anytime Cas, you're family just like Dean. I couldn't leave you there. It's good to see you're awake and recovering. Do you think you're well enough to return to Bobby's soon?" Sam asked not wanting to leave his boys alone much longer, besides being able to see his sons would most likely go a long way to calming Gabriel down.

"Whenever you and Dean are ready. Since most of my condition is due to grace depletion I should be fully healed by the end of the day now my grace is having time to recover." Cas spoke glad to be able to feel his grace again after so long being denied it due to purgatory.

Hela smiled at her uncle "Anytime. Also do you know any reason why the host would need to get a hold of you. They've been annoying me trying to convince me to let them into purgatory to get you out. I refused, naturally, but they seem insistent about it. All they said was that they have orders from some scribe or what not." She explained knowing sadly that it wasn't just because they wanted their brother safe.

"Cas went dark side for a while, though knowing the guy like I do, I know he had the best interest at heart. That and then the leviathan messed with his head and he tried to reform heaven." Dean spoke softly hoping that only Hela heard when he saw Cas blanch at the question, turning away from his niece in shame. He had only hoped to show the host the revelation that free will had shown him but the host wouldn't listen and then the whole fiasco with Crowley and the leviathan only made things worse.

"Perhaps I should-" Cas began getting cut off by Sam.

"Don't let the angels anywhere near him. You've repented enough Cas." Sam all but commanded looking to the guards that always accompanied his daughter. Cas was family and he wasn't going to let some dick angel that 'was only following orders' anywhere near his family. Much less near Gabriel and he knew if they found Cas they would find his Trickster as well. He wasn't willing to risk it.

The guards looked at Hela at Sam's order and she nodded her agreement. "You guys can go whenever you like. I'll meet you back at Grandpa Bobby's once I take care of things here. I'm going to tell the angels that I released Uncle Cas from purgatory but he escaped. I'm also saying uncle Dean is still in purgatory severely injured." She told her plan before pulling a necklace from around her neck and holding it out to Cas. It was a small pure white stone attached to a golden chain. "My dad charmed it. It's a good luck charm and it'll hide your grace while allowing you to still use it. They'll find you in a minute otherwise since they're waiting just out of my domain." She explained.

"Wait, what about you?" Cas asked hesitant to take the amulet. If this was what had been hiding the child's grace so effectively; he would essentially be sentencing the girl to death at his brother's and sister's hands. That was something he knew he could never allow Gabriel, and Sam, would have his head should anything happen to the goddess and after all they had done for him and Dean just now.

Hela rolled her eyes but smiled. "My dad wouldn't leave me relying solely on an amulet to hide my grace, but thanks for your concern. He taught me a few tricks after a close call a while ago. Plus I'm pretty sure he charms all my jewelry thinking I don't know what he's doing. Can you sense a difference?" She asked rightly assuming he had already examined her when she had first came in.

Cas relaxed as he quickly rescanned the goddess noticing that no there was no more grace spilling out then a moment ago and accepted the amulet. "At least we know my brother honestly cares if he's doing such a thing." he commented moving to slip off the bed before walking over to his charge. He place in two fingers to Dean's forehead quickly healing the injuries the young hunter had been hiding. Now that his grace was back it was a simple task and his own injuries were minor.

Ignoring the quick glare Dean sent his way he knew his charge tended to worry to much about everyone but himself. "I can take everyone back to Bobby's when they're ready though I won't be able to take them much farther." Cas admitted his grace still focused mainly on healing him.

Sam nodded eager to get back to his kids standing up with Gabriel in his arms he moved over to his brother. "Hela are you going to come too or will it take a while to throw off the rest of your evil aunts and uncles?" Sam spoke hating that he had to associate his kids with the rest of the host, but through Gabriel they were family, even if evil ones.

"It's going to take a while and I want to make sure they're all gone before I leave. I'll see you soon though." Hela said giving Sam a quick hug careful not to wake her dad. "It'll be an hour tops, promise." she added knowing he was bound to worry and might feel better if he had a definite time for her to return home.

"If you're not home in one hour I'm coming looking young lady." Sam teased knowing that though his daughter was young in the scheme of things, she was not one to take lightly. Only a fool or army would expect to take on his daughter and come out on top.

"Stay safe." Cas spoke plainly before placing his fingers on Sam and Dean's foreheads quickly whisking them back to Bobby's then promptly collapsing at the unexpected drain on his grace.

"Cas!" Dean yelled quickly catching the angel in his arms before he could hit the ground. "I'm fine Dean." Cas grumbled clearly more exhausted then the angel had expected by the angels expression.

"Sam find a place for the trickster and give me a hand getting Cas upstairs." Dean spoke sternly looking at his younger brother. "Geeze... Cas is fine. He said he was fine and you carried him by yourself before jerk. You know where the stairs are." Sam countered annoyed that Dean had switched back to his macho attitude already, oh when the kids got at him and Cas they wouldn't know what hit them.

Sleph, who had seen them appear, decided to interrupt. "I could help you carry him if you'd like." He teased with a smirk guessing Dean would turn him down.

Slephnir was correct in his assumption. "Nah I got it kid. I'm guessing your one of the trickster's kids." Dean spoke easily hoisting Cas into his arms bridal style and looking far to comfortable with it despite acting like it was the harshest thing imaginable.

Sam smirked at his son. "I trust there we're no problems Sleph?" Sam spoke warmly happy to see him.

"Well, some dude named Kevin called looking for you, I told him you were on a hunt and I'd let you know as soon as you got home. My brothers are all asleep upstairs unless they're faking it. It's pretty late though so I thought it was legit. Is he okay?" He asked looking at his father who was still asleep in Sam's arms.

"Okay. Did he say what he wanted?" Sam asked hoping that they weren't going to have another apocalypse on their hands. "As for your dad he's fine. He took a little damage but he, like your uncle, is mostly just exhausted." Sam spoke noticing Dean had decided to take Cas upstairs on his own. "Looks like first point to us, eh kid." Sam smirked shifting Gabriel in his arms to a more comfortable position as he headed towards his own room.

"No but he sounded worried and he said something about a demon... um, Crowley I think was what he called him. I don't think he trusted me which is probably a good thing. Means he's not an idiot." Sleph remembered. "And I seriously didn't know our uncles were that bad. We're probably going to have to ease them into it. If we do something to rash it'll probably cause your bro to run for the hills and I'd prefer my Uncles be able to forgive me later." He suggested walking next to Sam.

Sam growled at Crowley's name. He was one of the biggest threats to them, besides the angels. "Crowley's the king of Hell, don't trust him no matter what he says ever. I'll give Kevin a call once we get your dad settled, and as for your uncles you haven't seen anything yet. This is just the tip of the ice berg trust me." He chuckled. Kicking his bedroom door open Sam awkwardly pulled down the blankets and gently laid the trickster down upon the bed, pulling the blankets up and tucking his lover in gently.

Turning Sam pulled his son into his arms giving the boy a quick hug. It had been a long day but he had one more thing to do before he can join his angel in sleep. "Why don't you head off Sleph it's been a long day."

"Alright, Goodnight. Feel free to sleep in tomorrow, I can handle my brothers for a bit." Sleph offered returning Sam's hug before heading off to his own room which he had snapped up during his parents absence.

Closing the door Sam stripped off his armor deciding not to change it back to his jeans and shirt, one never knew when it could be useful again.

Changing quickly into his sleep wear he grabbed his phone dialing Kevin and slipping in beside Gabriel thinking he might as well be comfortable for what he was sure wasn't going to be a pleasant conversation. Not where the King of Hell was concerned.

"H-Hello?" Kevin answered nervously. He knew the demons couldn't be far behind but didn't think they had a reason to call him.

"Hey Kevin it's Sam. Sleph said you dropped by?" Sam asked noticing the nervousness in the young prophet's voice. Crowley must be closer then he thought to install such fear in the young man.

"Sleph? Was that the boy with the gold hair? Listen, I got away from Crowley but he's looking for me I'm sure. He has another tablet it's just like the last one except it's about demons." Kevin said quickly.

"Yeah that's him. Glad to hear you got away. Do you know where it is? That could help us put an end to all of this and then none of us will have to deal with them if it's anything like what I understand the angel tablet to be." Sam spoke amazement in his voice. That tablet could seriously help them now if only they could get it. It didn't matter what was on it if they couldn't get a hold of it.

"Crowley has it. Which is why he wants me. I'm the only one who can read any of them. Listen, I have to go but I'll call you back or drop by again when I can. I think their close and I don't want them knowing the details. " Kevin said getting into a car and hanging up.

Sam sighed when Kevin hung up sending the young prophet a silent good luck before snapping his fingers to shut the lights off and cuddling around Gabriel both in an effort to both share body heat and to ward off the nightmares he had been having. Getting comfortable Sam closed his eyes and quickly fell asleep, he wasn't lying when he said it had been a long day.

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**Please review and a new chapter will be up soon!**


	6. Chapter 6

When Gabriel blinked awake he was surprised to find himself back in Singer Salvage with Sam cuddled to his side. If his shoulder wasn't hurting so much he would of thought the previous day a dream. Sighing he turned to look at Sam, gently brushing some of his lovers long hair from his face before kissing his forehead. He knew as soon as he got up he'd most likely have to deal with Dean and, though he did want to talk to Castiel, the current peace and quiet was too nice to interrupt.

Slowly blinking awake at the gentle kiss Sam sleepily smiled at the trickster. A lifetime of hunting had him waking at the slightest outside stimulus. It was a helpful habit as far as hunting was concerned, but what he wouldn't give to be able to ignore outside noise when he was safe and not on a hunt.

"Sorry, I didn't mean to wake you. You just looked too cute to resist." Gabriel admitted seeing Sam's sleepy smile."though since your awake now, could you snap me up something to wear? I'd like to get a bit cleaned up but... no mojo." Gabriel asked more then a bit disgruntled over the fact he couldn't just snap himself out of his bloodstained clothes from the previous day.

"I can do one better." Sam quipped; snapping his fingers and changing his lover out of his now blood stained clothes and bandages putting him in more comfortable attire of red silk pajamas, knowing the tricksters penchant for nice things and not wanting the kids to worry over their dad's wound. "So how's that?" he asked.

Gabriel smiled."Perfect, thanks Sammy. So what did I miss? Everyone got home safe and sound right?" He wondered, thinking back to the last thing he remembered which was his nightmare and Sam calming him down afterward.

"Everyone's fine. Cas was a little banged up but nothing too serious. Sleph is already working on Dean; and Hela and all the boys are all perfectly fine." Sam spoke happily knowing Dean never stood a chance where his boys are concerned. "Hopefully, Hela will already be here. The angels were giving her some problems but nothing I think she couldn't handle."

Gabriel sighed relaxing at the news that everyone made it back okay. "Good. I'll still feel better once I see them. Then again, once I leave the room your brother is probably going to jump me and if he decides to shoot me now it probably wouldn't end as well as when I have my powers. Maybe I could just hide out in here until I get my mojo back." Gabriel thought out loud letting himself fall back into a laying position lazily, giving Sam a smirk while doing so.

Sam snickered at Gabriel's plan to hide out. "Not going to happen Dean will search you out regardless of if you hide, however, I can always use my mojo to protect you my powerless God." Sam teased his lover, beginning to hear the sounds of life fill Singer Salvage. It wouldn't be long now until their children would be tearing in their room to check on their dad.

"Oh my hero! However will I repay you for protecting me from your brother's wrath?" Gabriel teased right back, and sure enough a few seconds later their were four little boys scrambling up onto their parents bed. "Are you okay daddy? Sleph said you got hurt!" Narvi exclaimed worriedly while Jor and Fenny crawled to sit between him and Sam and Vali cuddled up to Gabriel's side causing Gabriel to laugh. "I'm going to be fine. Your mom and sister took good care of me. I'm just going to have to take it easy for awhile." He explained carefully wrapping an arm around Narvi to pull him closer.

"Oh, I'm sure I'll think of something, until then I'll just let you wonder." Sam smirked suggestively just before his boys scrambled up onto their bed cuddling up to Gabriel and looking him over. "Be gentle with your dad boys, he's still not completely better." Sam warned before giving Gabriel a stern look. "And you still need to tell me what hurt you...So I can kill it." Sam tried not to growl and scare his boys though he was being truthful. The being who hurt his lover had better stay far away from him if it valued it's life.

Gabriel sighed. "It's still in purgatory, Sam. I think there was a dart, probably from some make shift weapon some creature made. It wouldn't have been a big deal except for my sudden lack of grace and I'm sure my brothers are responsible. I don't know how they knew I was there though. Jor have you seen your sister today?" Gabriel asked thinking Hela might know more. Jor shook his head. "No, but we just got up so she could be downstairs." He said before Fenny interrupted. "She's not downstairs. I went down earlier to get a snack before you guys woke up and Sleph was the only one." he added.

Sam's breath caught in his throat at the news that his daughter wasn't there. He should have stayed up to wait for her to finish dealing with the angels. The angels! If they harmed a single hair on his daughters head it was going to mean holy fire would be in their near future. He had taken out archangels before, a garrison of grunts shouldn't be a problem.

Getting up Sam snapped his armor back in place. "Boys, stay with your dad. I'm going to see what happened to your sister. I did tell her that if she wasn't home in an hour I was going to come looking." Sam tried to tease to lighten the situation.

"Oh, no you don't. Do you really think that if Hela couldn't take them on her own, you're going to do much better by yourself? I'm worried too but it won't help her for you to get captured too. Why don't we try her cell first? If they do have her they're probably wanting something in return so they'll probably answer." Gabriel reasoned coming to the same conclusion as Sam. He decided to leave out the fact that if his brothers didn't want something in return they'd have no reason to keep her alive. It was best not to panic and assume the worst when she could just be asleep in her own domain or something.

"And if they want something we can't give them like yours or Cas's life? Not to mention me or Dean? Then what are we going to do?" Sam asked trying not to let his fear show. Gabriel wasn't only a pagan god but also an archangel. It was very conceivable that the angels would want him back, and if what happened to Cas during reprogramming was any indication the angel he got back afterward, _if _he even got one back, it would not be the angel he fell in love with.

"Then we come up with a plan to get her back without giving them what they want. We're getting ahead of ourselves though. Maybe she got caught up with something else and lost track of time. Maybe she was tired and fell asleep. We don't know anything yet." Gabriel soothed seeing the fear in Sam's eyes, despite his lover wanting otherwise, before turning to the boys who all looked equally worried about their sister. "Can you go tell Sleph what's going on for us? Then I want you all to wait downstairs until we are done, okay?" He asked them and they all nodded seriously before doing as they were told. "It's going to be okay, I promise." Gabriel added not sure if he was talking more to the boys, Sam, or himself.

Sam's shoulders slumped, though his hands remained in tight fists his anxiety palpable around him, walking over to the bed once the boys left Sam gathered Gabriel into his arms holding his mate close in order to comfort himself. He was afraid of losing the family he had just found so soon after finding them.

"What are we going to do? You know how the angels think better then anyone, save maybe Cas. I can kill them, but I don't understand them. She's just a little girl." Sam whispered softly his mind playing horrific things that could be happening to his baby girl. The perks of being a parent with an over active imagination.

Gabriel closed his eyes for a moment breathing in Sam's leather and honey like scent to calm himself before reopening them. "The first thing we are going to do is call our daughter's cell and hope she answers." Gabriel suggested calmly, running his fingers through Sam's hair to help him relax."Then, if she doesn't answer, we hunt my worthless siblings down and rip their wings from their bodies to make sure they regret ever even thinking of hurting our little girl." He added in the same calm tone as if it were a fact.

Sam nodded his eyes flashing fire and promising pain if a single hair was out of place when they found her. "I wonder if Dean will mind dusting off the old knives? He did supposedly learn under the best torturer in Hell after all, and he did seem to take to Hela remarkably quickly." Sam spoke knowing that Dean didn't like mentioning his time in hell, but family was family and one didn't hurt or betray family without consequences. Plus, there was no love lost between the Winchesters and the angelic host; only two had earned the right to be called family and their loyalty, and both were under this very roof.

"Maybe you should talk to him and Cas, they trust you more. I'll call Hela's phone." Gabriel said grabbing Sam's cell from where it was on a nearby table and dialing his daughter's number.

Sam nodded giving the trickster a gentle kiss to the forehead and went to track his brother down, not wanting to witness the conversation between angel and trickster, but knowing without a doubt that it couldn't be good.

The phone rang twice before someone picked up.

"I'm sorry but your... daughter, if that's what you'd call it, can't come to the phone right now."The angel spoke mockingly and Gabriel's eyes narrowed. "What is this about? She's no threat to the host, you have no reason to do her any harm." He replied carefully keeping his temper in line.

"No reason? The nephilim were outlawed, her existence is enough reason, but relax, we won't hurt her unless you cause problems. All we want is for you and Castiel to return to heaven with us, to talk. Then we'll give you your powers back and send our niece back to her home realm, promise." The angel explained exactly as Gabriel thought. "Let me talk to her. So, I know she's not hurt." Gabriel ordered and the angel complied. "Daddy, don't, they need you. I don't want anyone hurt because of me." Hela said quickly before the angel took the phone back. "We'll be expecting you before tomorrow afternoon. No tricks or she's dead. Goodbye brother." He said hanging up leaving Gabriel fuming.

Knocking on Dean's door and getting no reply Sam peaked inside and finding neither angel or hunter. Closing the door Sam headed downstairs to the kitchen where he hoped his brother would be.

Smiling at his boys as he passed them Sam found Dean nursing a large cup of coffee with Castiel going through one of Bobby's old tomes. Looking up Dean arched an eyebrow at Sam noticing the armor once again. "Yo, what's with the return of the villain Sammy? You look like your ready to kill something or someone, painfully." he joked.

"We have a problem Dean. The angels have Hela. Gabriel's on the phone with them right now; no doubt they're offering an ultimatum." Sam growled not hiding his fear and anger at the thought of his baby girl in The Host's hands.

"I see. No doubt, indeed. Those a dicks live to fuck us over. What are we going to do?" Dean asked his brother, his eyes flashing. He may have just met the Goddess but he already liked her. Any other day Dean would never admit to liking a goddess, but this was Hela and she was his little brother's little girl. No one harmed Sammy and no one harmed anything or anyone Sam cared about, not on Dean's watch. Plus, he owed his niece for saving his and Cas's ass from purgatory.

"Care to dust off your old knives?" Sam implied knowing Dean would get the gist of what Sam meant.

"Dean-" Cas started before Dean held up a hand for silence. He already knew what Cas was going to say, and he didn't want to hear it right now. Sammy had asked him for a favor, besides he owed those feathery dicks for all the hell they had put Cas through.

"Gladly, they won't know what hit them." Dean smirked. It was time to go hunting already.

Gabriel walked downstairs after he finished the call, joining Sam and the others in the kitchen. "You were right. They want me and Cas in exchange for her safety. They're waiting in Helheim. We have until tomorrow night and then they said they'll kill her. They are also the ones who put a stop on my grace that way I couldn't hear her pray or come after them." He said slowly before looking up at Sam. "If comes to it I'd rather it be me than her. She doesn't deserve what they'll do to her. She's a nephilim so they'll see nothing wrong with what they're doing either. At least they'll make it quick for me." He admitted his eyes lacking their usual spark. If Hela was harmed in any way... He wouldn't recover from loosing another loved one at his sibling's hands, especially not his baby girl.

"You're not going against the host alone!" Both Sam and Cas shouted at the same time though Sam more in fear for his lovers life while Cas was just in shock.

"What do you think she would feel Gabriel? Knowing that she lived at the cost of her father's life? Do you really think she wants that?" Dean stated locking gazes with the tiny archangel knowing from experience what it was like.

"You've said it yourself this obsession we have about sacrificing ourselves, nothing good comes out of it, nothing but blood and pain." Sam quoted his lover from their time in mystery spot.

"I'm not saying that I should go alone, or that I'm going to walk willingly to my death. I'm saying that if whatever plan we come up with doesn't work, I'm not going to let them kill my daughter. No matter what. And I'm not going to let any of you die either." He said determination in his tone. No one was going to change his mind.

"Fine, but if you even think of something like that again you're in the dog house for the next millennium. " Sam tried to tease to lighten the situation, though he wasn't sure how well it worked due to how tense he still was.

"So any ideas?" Dean asked not even sure were to begin, his usual hack and slash may not work here.

"I have an idea." Sleph commented walking into the kitchen. "Do you think the angels know about the rest of us? If not it would be easy to get her back. They would be expecting my dad to show up powerless and Castiel weak. I can go as my dad and let them think they're getting what they want while the rest of you can sneak in from the back in case something goes wrong. I'll make them take me to Hela, to make sure they didn't hurt her, and then I'll grab her and meet up with you guys. They won't think I have any powers so why would they have to worry about me taking her?" He suggested.

"They most likely do kid, but even if they don't I'm not letting you anywhere near the host. We've already lost Hela to the angels clutches I'm not going to give them another one of my kids." Sam spoke worried that if they went with Sleph's plans that that's exactly what would happen. Winchester luck had yet to fail them in that respect, they always seemed destined to lose the people they love and Sam wasn't going to leave Sleph in the host's hands.

"Well does anyone else have a plan to get her back?" Sleph asked looking around before turning to Gabriel. "I'm not just going to sit here while you all go either. She's my little sister too." He huffed and Gabriel shook his head. "Then who's going to stay with your brothers? Unless you think they need to join the rest of us as well. Sleph, we need you to stay here because if things head south we need someone trustworthy to take care of your brothers. I have a plan to get Hela back but I need you to stay here." Gabriel told him with a meaningful look causing Sleph to sigh. "Fine. I'll stay, but promise you'll call if you need me. Don't do anything stupid. Like I said before I don't want to have to go through that again." He requested. Gabriel nodded in agreement. "I promise I'll call if I need your help. Now your brothers are probably worried sick. Please distract them, the sooner we take care of this the better." He said and Sleph trudged out to the living room. "Okay, there are probably around 15 angels total give or take one or two. The angel who talked to me is obviously in charge and he's with Hela. If we can kill him... If we kill him then the others will leave. I'm sure not all of them want to be there and are only working under threats and orders. Sleph had a point though, They aren't going to be expecting me or Cas to fight since we were injured. So there's that. There is also a chance that they'll be expecting Cas to make Dean stay behind. No one can miss that. So we do have some advantages." Gabriel got down to business giving Cas a bit of a smirk but letting it fade quickly.

Sam nodded to his son as the boy turned to leave. He knew that Slephnir was more then capable of defending himself and the children, though the thought of risking even one of them turned his blood to ice.

"Agreed." Dean spoke eyeing Cas before he made a sound knowing that the newly promoted archangel would definitely prefer Dean to stay. Cas nodded smirking back at his brother. Their siblings wouldn't know what hit them. No doubt they were being fed lines from the higher ups and as Gabriel was the only true archangel alive, who was not in the cage, it made sense that they would listen to him over the other angels.

Waving a hand Sam subtly changed his brothers clothes into armor like his own; making sure to outfit his brother with plenty of blades, along with one of the angel blades they had picked up, and Ruby's knife, just in case. He knew both Cas and Gabriel had their own angelic blades and weapons. Even without their grace his lover and brother-in-law were still incredibly deadly.

"Cas and I should head through the front since they're expecting us, You and your brother can head to a hidden entrance in the back and try to keep outta sight as long as possible. My brothers are dramatic so they'll have her in the throne room. We'll meet up there. We want to try to keep things quiet until we have Hela with us or they might... rush things. Am I missing anything?" Gabriel asked seriously before giving Dean the first real smirk he had since earlier that morning. "You might want to look away." He warned before standing on his tiptoes and giving Sam a passionate kiss. "Just in case. I love you, kiddo." He added as he pulled away before Sam could ask. There was a huge chance that one of them wouldn't make it home and he didn't want to leave any regrets this time around.

Dean choked at the sight of his baby brother being kissed by the trickster quickly looking away and shuddering. It was nothing against Gabriel, seeing anyone kiss Sam was just plain wrong.

"Love you too Gabe. Stay safe and come back to me." Sam whispered not caring that he sounded like a girl, he had lost too many lovers to the Winchester curse to not realize that there was a very high chance he would lose Gabriel too. He always had the worst of luck where love was concerned. "Cas keep him and yourself safe alright?" Sam spoke iron in his voice that spoke of serious repercussions should should anything happen to either of them.

"You have my word Sam, but you most promise to watch out for yourself as well." Cas promised locking his eyes on Dean's turned back and Sam got the message.

"Alright, enough of this mushy business. Let's do this. The more time we spend talking, the more time the feathered dicks have to hurt my niece." Dean finally spoke up going to stand by his brothers side.

"Whenever you're ready Cas." Gabriel said taking Dean's place next to the younger angel and pulling out his blade. His siblings were going to regret touching his little girl.

Cas nodded drawing his own blade and placing a hand on his brothers shoulder teleporting them to the front gates. Gabriel knew Helheim better then he did so he thought it best to stay close then get separated, particularly if this was going to work.

Grasping Dean's hand Sam quickly teleported them to the back entrance of Helheim through Asgard crossing his fingers that he didn't run into any Asgardians. The last thing he needed was any more family reunions at the moment.

"Since when-" Dean started to ask before Sam quickly held a hand up for silence. The questions could wait till later after they had Hela back safe and sound.

As soon as Cas and Gabriel appeared in Helheim they were surrounded by 5 angels. "Tael is waiting in the throne room for you. Give us your blades." One of the angels ordered nervously while the others pointed their blades at the duo. Gabriel smirked at how scared the angels looked. "Where's my daughter? If she's hurt in any way I will personally rip your wings off your body and dunk each of you in holy oil before setting you on fire, and this is without my grace. Once I get it back, It'll be a lot worse." Gabriel threatened. "So if you value your wings and your continued existence you're going to tell me about Tael and then you're going to leave. Maybe, then, I might even forgive you for your involvement in kidnapping my little girl. So, what do you say?" he asked nonchalantly examining his own blade.

The angels looked at each other worriedly before quickly putting their blades away. "She hasn't been injured that we know of. Tael said that there was scripture about her so no one has been aloud inside the throne room beside him until you arrived. He claimed it was Metatron's orders. He didn't even tell us that she was your child until after you called." The first angel admitted. "We'll leave now. I personally don't want any part in whatever is going to happen here." Another said before they all left leaving the entrance open for Gabriel and Castiel. "That went better then expected. I forgot how terrified most of the host is of us archangels." Gabriel said with a smirk looking at Cas.

"As they should be. Any angel who would harm a child, nephilim or no, is no brethren of mine. Father may have outlawed them before, but that was because the mortals abused their children's powers and more times then not, corrupted their poor souls. He never said anything about outlawing children between angel and other gods, or children who were loved by both parents. These angels have no grounds for this." Cas spoke his voice deeper then normal at the thought that one of his own was being persecuted simply for being born Gabriel's child, besides Sam would never forgive him should anything happen to the young hunter's daughter.

Gabriel lead Castiel into the castle keeping an eye out for any more of their siblings. "You know I probably would have acted the same if I was in their position. Well, maybe not the same but... I get it. They're scared, alone, and using anything they can to try to find some normalcy. The only problem is that most of the higher ranking angels are power hungry snobs that don't care anything for anyone else besides our father. If I hadn't left I probably would have ended up the same." Gabriel admitted knowing that if he hadn't run away things would have been very different. "But after I met Sigyn, my prospective changed. I didn't need power to be happy because she made me happy. And my kids... You can't understand being a parent until you are one." He added thinking of how he acted before he had Sleph and after. Realizing he sounded like a girl, Gabriel quickly searched for a change of topic glad they were at the doors. "This is the throne room, should we wait for our boys?" he asked hoping Sam and Dean didn't run into trouble and knowing it would be wiser to wait but also nervous for his daughter's well being.

"You never would have turned out like them, Gabriel. You're manipulative, yes, but you've never been power hungry. That is where you differ from them, and what makes you better then them." Cas spoke truthfully. He believed in his heart of heart that even if Gabriel had never met Sigyn and fathered her children that he would have turned out the same. His brother had always been kinder and more approachable then his counterparts. "Personally, I would rather wait. They have fought angels before and I would rather we had them here as back up. The choice, however, is yours. Hela is your daughter." Castiel advised his brother cautiously.

"Thanks, Bro." Gabriel said before sighing. "We'll wait for awhile but if they don't come soon then we'll go in alone." He finally decided knowing it was probably for the best since he was currently powerless.

In Asgard, Sam lead Dean through semi familiar haunts and streets wishing he could visit with Idunn, if only to gather a few of her golden apples he had a feeling he might need them before this was over. Dean however seemed unable to stop looking around the structure of Asgard and the people in general, they were always overwhelming for mortals.

The brothers Winchester had just about reached the portal when a voice stopped them. "I thought that was you Sigyn." A woman spoke as the Dean turned around Angel blade drawn. "You've changed old friend." She continued not even fazed by Dean's aggressive stance. "Idunn." Sam spoke a smile on his face as he turned to look at the lovely goddess. The woman was decked in typical Asgardian armor, her golden hair intricately braided into a crown in preparation for battle, and she was armed- which was unusual for her. "Let me guess, Frigga?" Sam spoke as Idunn raised a basket brimming with golden apples hidden in a side satchel. "Frigga. Our queen always had a soft spot for you and Loki, she wishes to right the wrongs done to you and yours by her husband. She has informed me that I will most assuredly be needed on this quest, so here I am ready to lend my aid." She informed them while Dean looked at Sam not sure if he should trust this goddess whom he knew next to nothing about save basic lore. Sam nodded to both Dean and Idunn before heading to the portal and quickly activating it, stepping through knowing the other two would follow.

Sam immediately went into defensive mode quickly placing the portal once more to idle but not completely closed, though only someone who knew it was there would easily be able to find it, Idunn quickly checked her satchel making sure the precious apples were safe before drawing her unique blade, an interesting weapon that could be also used as a whip should the need arise, once all were armed Sam quickly and silently began to move foreword.

Quickly heading towards the throne room where his daughter was being kept Sam made sure to stick to the shadows using every trick at their disposal including shrouding magic to remain hidden; though it was odd that they ran across so few angels he was sure that there should have been at least a battalion if not two guarding his daughter.

After a few minutes of waiting Gabriel was getting antsy and started to pace back and forth in front of the double doors that separated him from his daughter. Even without his grace something didn't seem right about this. There should have been more angels then the few that they had run into. "Can you feel anyone else, Cas? It seems a bit too empty in here." Gabriel asked pausing in his pacing to look at the younger angel.

"I agree, but no, I'm as much in the dark as you. Either our brothers have truthfully all fled, or we're walking into a trap. Most likely the latter" Cas agreed feeling extremely exposed and vulnerable without access to his grace. Just as Cas finished speaking Sam, Dean, and Idunn showed in the hallway leading to the throne room. Stalking forward Sam pulled Gabriel into his arms quickly relaxing at the sight of his lover unscathed, at least for the moment.

"Loki, it's been a long time." Idunn spoke softly, bowing her head in greeting while walking forward to stand in front of the soul mated pair. "It's good to see you and Sigyn have found each other again." She said seeming honestly pleased to see them together.

Gabriel sighed in relief when Sam and Dean finally arrived, surprised to see the other goddess as well. "That it has, Idunn. You can thank him for that though. He somehow managed to bring me and our boys back single handedly." Gabriel commented proudly knowing the goddess was trustworthy before returning Sam's hug. "Now we're all here, Cas and I ran into a few of our siblings but they ran off pretty quickly. All I know is Tael's not planning anything good." He explained worried for his daughter's sake.

"Sigyn always was resourceful, particularly where her family was concerned. Frigga told me to come she also has a message for you. She says the price placed upon your families heads by Odin has been rescinded by her orders. You and yours are welcome back in Asgard should you wish it. By our Queen's command none will touch you and yours or suffer her wrath. If you wish sanctuary from the angels while you heal, you are welcome." Idunn spoke before reaching into her satchel and tossing one of her apples in Gabriel's direction.

Sam nodded happy at the news that they had nothing to fear from the Norse gods anymore. It seems Odin's warmongering ways had died with him, at least as long as Frigga remained in power. Sam had never met Thor and could only hope the Thunderer had gained his mother's baring rather then his father's.

Gabriel caught the apple with a smirk before placing it in one of his pockets for later. He had always had a soft spot for Frigga seeing as she was the only mother he had ever known and was glad to hear of what she had done. "Thanks, we'll definitely be stopping by as soon as Hela is safe and sound. I've missed her. Is everyone ready? We don't have forever." Gabriel asked grabbing one of the ordinate door handles and turning to at the others.

"Ready as we'll ever be." Dean spoke for the group at large knowing he was correct it didn't matter how ready they tried to be he knew from experience that you were never one hundred percent.

"Let's go. We have our little girl to save." Sam spoke his eyes hardening as Gabriel opened the doors, his angel blade as well as every single spell he had ever learned at the ready.

Gabriel pushed the doors open not knowing what to expect. The room was empty but for Hela herself who was sitting on her throne her eyes closed as if she was sleeping. Her wrists were red from where they were tied to the arms of the chair and she was wearing plain dark green cloth dress that was covered in blood and grace. Her hair looked messy as it fell freely around her but it didn't hide the bruises covering her face and arms. All in all she looked awful and it took everything Gabriel had to keep himself from running to her side. "Hela, sweetie? Are you okay?" He asked needing to know that was really his daughter and not an illusion, or worse.

Hela looked at her dad tiredly her energy sapped from trying to escape her bonds and resisting her captors. "I'd be better if you brought me some pie... Apple preferably." She coughed with a hint of a smile playing on her lips.

At Hela's words Gabriel rushed over quickly examining the bindings so he could find a way to release his daughter and get her out of there. "Sorry, no pie until we get you home." He told her lightly.

Something wasn't right, every instinct that Sam had was screaming that this was a trap and Hela was obviously the bait. Gabriel, full of worry for their daughter, had fallen right into it. "Gabriel stop! Something isn't right." Sam called hoping his lover would head his words and stop before he tripped whatever trap Tael had set. This was too easy. Why bring them here, beat up their daughter and threaten them only to let them take Hela home without a fight?

"Sigyn is right my friend. Something most foul is afoot, I can feel it." Idunn agreed. she couldn't tell what it was exactly, the grace was to thick in this room for her to get a lock on whatever had been lain in wait for them. All she knew was it was incredibly dangerous.

Gabriel paused at Sam's warning, despite just wanting to get his daughter home. Even though everything inside of him fought against it Gabriel turned away from Hela to look at Sam to ask what was wrong which probably wasn't the best idea he's ever had. The next second he was pinned to the ground angel blade to his chest. He felt extremely stupid for thinking it would be so easy as he realized what had happened.

"That was too easy. Getting her to say yes was much more difficult, even with how lowly she thinks of herself. Still she had a Winchester mentality so it didn't take too much to find her price." Tael said through Hela with a chuckle at the archangel's foolishness. It almost wasn't worth the effort. "She's regretting it now though... Shall we discuss my terms? Or do I need to make an example of my brother first?" He added moving the blade so it was pressed lightly against Gabriel's throat as he waited for Sam's response.

Sam growled power flashing crimson from his finger tips as not only was his daughter in trouble but now so was his lover. "You think you can best an archangel, one of the first angels? How high you must think of yourself, and then to torture a little girl plus no doubt threaten her family to get her to say yes. I've never met a being more pitiful then you Tael." Sam spoke coldly with a mocking edge lacing his words trying to get the angel focused on him rather then his lover. Gabriel was currently powerless but he wasn't, not that the angel knew that.

Grabbing a flask of holy oil that Idunn had subtly snapped into existence Dean smirked nodding his thanks. "Hey, douche bag! I suggest you free my niece and get off the runt or I'm going to fry myself an angel." Dean threatened pulling out his lighter and striking up a flame showing that he wasn't kidding. He had a feeling Hela was goddess enough that even if it hurt her, it wouldn't kill her, at least that was what he was hoping.

"Tsk Tsk, You really are as careless as they say. You don't think I have a back up plan? Singer Salvage may be warded but it won't last forever. Plus your princess here gave me enough info to get us inside, not willingly, but hey her memories are fresh and clear. Unless, of course, I call my brothers and tell them to stand down within the next... let's say 10 minutes, then your cute little abominations will be next... and that's not the end of it. Plus, if you fry me, he's burning too, and while the girl might survive only a little more disfigured than she already is, he certainly won't." Tael said not letting himself be distracted by either Winchester as he pressed the blade deeper into Gabriel's skin causing blood to trickle down his neck. "So, again, can't we just come to an agreement like grown ups? There's no need for any additional violence." He spoke darkly.

Gabriel silently cursed himself for letting this happen. He should have expected something like this when the angels left so easily. It was worse knowing that his brother was probably making sure Hela could hear and see everything that was happening as well. She'd never forgive herself if anyone was hurt, especially by her own hand.

At Tael's threat Idunn smirked. "Do you really think we aren't prepared for that? These children and their family are under Asgard's protection. Our Queen herself guards this family and calls them kin. Are you willing to go to war should you proceed?" Idunn finished with a growl unsheathing her sword and cracking it into a whip.

"Oh, I like this one." Dean chuckled under his breath readying himself for a fight locking eyes briefly with Cas who nodded and fell into a stance that seemed almost as natural as breathing on the angel.

Sam let out a slight sigh of relief as Idunn spoke knowing that if Frigga was on their side all would be well. He had only met the Queen that one millennia on their wedding day but her love of Loki was as obvious as any mother's love of their child.

"It's a little too late for that now. If it's war you want then we'll start with my brother." Tael commented before plunging the angel blade deep into Gabriel's chest similar to how Lucifer had before, except at least Lucifer had seemed to care.

Gabriel was shocked at how easily his brother brushed off Idunn's threat but couldn't think about that for long as he felt his blade pierce his chest. The initial pain was followed by a choking sensation and Gabriel realized Tael had purposely aimed for his lung rather than his heart to draw out his death. He was even more surprised when suddenly Hela's expression changed from Tael's smug indifference to confusion to horrified panic. "No, no, no. Daddy! Don't die, please, don't die. I'm sorry, please. He promised, I was stupid, it's my fault. " She cried trying to figure out what to do to help her dad, her hands getting covered in blood and grace in the process. It took Gabriel a few seconds to realize that Tael wasn't controlling her anymore through the fog of pain and breathlessness clouding his mind. Apparently stabbing him had been a step pass what Tael could push Hela emotionally, letting her regain control again. At least he got to know she'd be okay before he died, he thought darkly coughing as blood filled his lungs.

"Gabriel!" Sam cried running over to his lover and falling to knees, panic and pain filling his eyes and clogging his voice. Covering Hela's hands with his own, he pressed his daughters hands down harder hoping to stem the blood and grace from leaving his lover. He knew he didn't have to worry about the blood, Gabriel could loose enough blood to kill a dozen men over, and still stand back up with a laugh and an I told you so. It was the grace escaping along with the blood that had Sam's insides running cold. "You can't leave me again! You can't leave me and the children, not now! We just got our family back! We need you!" Sam pleaded anything to make the angel stay with him he would say anything do anything if it would stop his lover from leaving.

"Sammy..." Dean whispered the sight of his baby brother so broken killing him along with the knowledge that neither he nor Cas, being as weak as he was, could do a thing.

"Sigyn. Don't despair not yet. The apple, remember? There was a reason I gave it to him. I know not if it will heal him completely, Tael aimed true, but you must have faith. Faith that the fates and our Queen are watching over you." Idunn tried to soothe knowing that Gabriel's wound was perhaps even to severe for her apples to heal.

Gabriel wanted to comfort Sam and tell him he wasn't going to get rid of him that easily but he couldn't get in enough air to say anything. Hearing Idunn's advice made Gabriel want to laugh too. He couldn't even breath, how was he supposed to eat the apple? Still, he wasn't going to give up. Not when he finally had something to fight for.

Hela was in a state of shock at what was happening. All she could think was that she killed her dad. If she had been stronger in resisting, if she had left with her family earlier, if she would have paid more attention to the angels... she had so many opportunities and now her dad was going to die and it was all her fault.

Sam pulled one hand away reaching into Gabriel's pocket to grasp the apple pulling the golden fruit free from its prison. Looking at it Sam almost fell back into despair realizing there was no way Gabriel would be able to eat it in his condition before a sudden flash of inspiration hit him. Snapping his fingers Sam quickly turned the gleaming fruit into a goblet full of golden juice pressing the cup to his lovers lips Sam silently implored his lover to drink, all the while silently casting every healing and holding spell he had ever learned in an effort to hold the angel to the mortal plane.

Idunn smiled and nodded good it seemed as her old friend was still as quick and resourceful as ever, though turning the apple to juice would dull the healing properties, hopefully it would be enough to at least heal her friends beloved enough to be able to eat them proper.

Gabriel swallowed as much of the apple juice as he could feeling slightly better as it's healing properties began to work on him. Coughing up more blood and grace he sucked in a deep breath grateful to finally be able to breath again even if it still brought him pain. "...you're ... brilliant.. love ... your... brain" He panted between coughs and breaths.

"I hope that that's not all you love." Sam tried to tease though his eyes gave him away. "Here Sigyn. He should hopefully be able to eat this proper now." Idunn spoke kneeling beside her friend handing the tall man another apple. "The angels won't let this be over that easily we need all of us in as fighting form as we can be." With that said she tossed both Dean and Cas an apple of their own, making sure Dean got the larger of the two, with a smirk and handing Hela and Sam one as well.

Gabriel rolled his eyes at Sam's attempt to tease him before slowly sitting up, despite the pain it caused, and taking his apple from his lover. "Of course not, I love your moose like looks too." Gabriel teased back once he finished eating the apple still sore and tired but relatively healed.

Seeing that Hela hadn't moved Gabriel brushed some of her hair back getting only a flinch in response. "It wasn't your fault." He promised cutting her off when she looked up and opened her mouth to protest. "The only one to blame is Tael. Plus, I'm going to be fine so I don't want you worrying about it. Okay?" Gabriel asked as Hela stared at the golden apple and her hands that were still covered in his blood. "I should have been able to stop him, you could have died again. I should have…" She mumbled tears falling down her face and Gabriel shook his head pulling her into his arms. "You are not to blame, I don't blame you. If you had known that he would do this I know you would have kept saying no. You just wanted to protect your brothers and there is nothing wrong with that. Shh, it's okay. I'm not dead, it's okay." He comforted rubbing her back as she cried into his shoulder.

Dean had to hide a shudder of disgust at all the mush that was going on between his little brother and the archangel. Despite the fact that said archangel had saved him and Cas from purgatory he wasn't quite ready to trust him with his little brothers heart, even if they were so called soul-mates.

Looking down at the apple in his hands, in order to not have to look at his kid brother and his own angel, Dean shrugged before deciding to eat the fruit it obviously had some kind of healing properties judging by Gabriel's rapid healing. "Dean are you sure you want to eat that? We don't know what-" Cas asked out of the blue just before Dean would have taken the first bite. Glancing over at the angel who had suddenly went silent mid sentence noticing Cas glaring at Idunn.

"Now, now, child isn't this what you want?" Idunn asked vaguely her eyes locked with Castiel's sapphire gaze she was seemingly able to read the young angel like a book. "I thought so. Don't worry Dean, Castiel is just being an over protective guardian. My apples do nothing but set things to how things aught to be and know this, I don't give my apples lightly." Idunn finished speaking turning back to Sam and his little family.

Dean looked to Cas, then to Idunn, and finally to his little brother who had started eating his own apple while whispering soft nothings to his only daughter, Dean being too far back and Sam speaking to quietly for even his trained ears to hear, before he decided that if Sam felt that Idunn could be trusted enough to eat the golden fruit with out any thought then perhaps, for once, he could follow his kid brothers example rather then always try to lead.

Overhearing their conversation, Gabriel warred with himself on if he should tell Dean the truth about the apples. He knew if he didn't say anything now Dean would be pissed about it later but he also didn't want the Winchester changing his mind about eating it either. Castiel and Dean deserved to be together and this was a way they could be. Plus Sam would be upset if he had to live without his brother for so long. Still making Dean walk in to it blindly was wrong and Gabriel had wanted to do things right this time around. Not to mention how many times keeping secrets had almost gotten either Winchester killed.

"The apples wont hurt you Deano and they wont do much more then give Cas a power boost, but they aren't to be taken lightly." Gabriel said rearranging Hela when he realized she had fallen asleep in his arms. She had been through a lot the past couple of days and her body needed rest. Gabriel grabbed the apple that had fallen out of her hands placing it in his pocket to give to her later. "I think you deserve to know what you're getting yourself into, though" He told the hunter giving Idunn a look to see if she would try to stop him, before glancing at Sam as well.

"There's a reason Idunn doesn't just go around handing them out to whoever she sees. They give eternal youth and come with a title of godhood. Once you eat even one bite of one your aging slows to match your soul mate's and you'll gain responsibilities based on your title. Hela, for example, is the goddess of death, judgment, and atonement. She has to punish or reward the souls here based on their life before they died. " Gabriel said kissing the top of his daughter's hair. "Your title is predetermined though, so eating the apple won't suddenly make you have to do something you don't already do. It just reinforces what your soul already craves. Sammy here is the god of faithfulness, patience, and parenting- nothing he wasn't already good at before." He quickly reassured knowing Dean was probably going to freak out anyway, and wondering if he made the right choice in telling him.

Idunn and Sam both smiled and nodded thinking Gabriel had chosen right. Sam wouldn't have wanted to live without his brother despite how strained their relationship had become during the apocalypse and the time after but he didn't want it to be because of a lie either. "I'm also the god of the hearth and home. Kind of funny seeing how the closest thing to home and hearth I've had would be the impala, huh." Sam tried to reassure his brother, who looked ready to go into complete melt down in a moment, with gentle teasing.

Dean looked down at the apple with wide eyes. "So your telling me this will basically turn me into what I've been hunting all my life. Sam, you don't care? You're now a monster! Other hunters will try to kill you!" Dean nearly exploded, though he tried to keep his voice lower as not to wake his niece.

Dean was scared. What if it turned him into some kind of torture God? He remembered his time in Hell and how he had enjoyed ripping into a screaming soul knowing that it could do nothing but scream, and knowing that it could do nothing to stop him. What if it turned him into something he no longer recognized.

"Dean it will be all right. I know what you fear and it will never come to pass. Your soul shines too brightly for that to happen." Cas tried to soothe him seeing the pain and fear his charge was in. He knew a life time of being told you were nothing but a soldier could make it hard to see anything else. He himself thought the same thing until he met the Winchester brothers and came to know that the mission and his love of his father wasn't all there was in life.

Idunn smiled at Dean moving to stand in front of the older hunter before placing her hands on Deans frozen ones, steadying his grasp on the golden apple. "Castiel is right Dean. My apples do not corrupt, they only enhance. If you are evil you would become more evil, if you are good you will stay good; and you're a good man Dean. Any creature with a second sight can see it. Without a doubt you'll become a god of honor, righteousness, and loyalty- like your brother- as well as a god of the hunt if I'm not mistaken. You don't need to fear so." With that said Idunn gave Dean one last smile before moving back toward Sam and Gabriel.

"It's all right Dean. Please, I don't want to go through eternity without you any more then I would without Gabriel and the kids. After all we've done, don't we deserve a reward?" Sam spoke tentatively hoping against hope that his brother wouldn't leave him to mortality.

"Damn Sammy, enough with the chick flick. I'll be around kicking your ass from here to eternity. Besides, somebody has to keep that trickster of yours in line since you're too soft to do it." Dean joked before he quickly ate his apple trying to hide just how nervous he was while he did so.

Gabriel smiled lightly glad Dean had chosen to go through with it. "We should go. We need to get back to the boys and make sure they're alright. Whatever my siblings are up to, it can't be good and I'm going to need Sleph's help to take care of Tael. It wouldn't take much to for him to take control of Hela again and I don't think I'm lucky enough to survive getting stabbed anymore." Gabriel said standing up with a little difficulty since Hela was fast asleep in his arms. "I also think I know what Tael did to put a hold on my grace so once were back I should be able to reverse it." He added as an afterthought.

Sam nodded kissing his daughters forehead gently before leaning over to do the same with Gabriel. Standing up Sam smirked in Dean's direction. "So how does it feel to be a God? No homicidal urges?" Sam teased knowing the answer already.

"Shut up Bitch!" Dean snarled though Sam could hear the relief in his brothers voice.

"Make me Jerk." Sam teased right back before snapping his finger and sending them right back to Bobby's knowing that even with the power boost from the apples both Cas and Gabriel were no where near fighting fit. He could only hope that the angels hadn't broken through the wards. Though if they had, at least they had the element of surprise.


	7. Chapter 7

Once at Bobby's Gabriel laid Hela down on the couch to free his hands. Even though the place still looked intact he couldn't be sure. Before he could call for him, Slephnir appeared in the room holding a lighter and looking very proud of himself. "I trapped the angels in the panic room so you can do what you want with them. I'm kind of upset that it was so easy to do, actually. Don't they even check for holy oil? But it's probably for the best since my brothers were here. Speaking of my brothers, you should probably go see them first. I told them to wait in the bed room while I made sure it was you guys and they're pretty scared at the moment. I managed to calm them down a bit after I rounded up the angels but they'll probably feel better after they see you." He suggested glad to see his parents back safe and sound.

Gabriel pulled out his blade and held his hand out for Sleph's. "Not that I don't trust you kiddo, but with everything going on today I'd rather play it safe." Gabriel commented and Sleph nodded letting Gabriel cut his arm to prove he was really him. When nothing happened Gabriel sighed in relief knowing his son wasn't possessed and the boys were okay even if a bit frightened. "Sammy, could you check on them? I'm going to need Sleph's help with Hela and they probably shouldn't see me covered in blood if they're already scared." Gabriel asked putting his blade away and pulling Sleph in for a quick hug.

"Smart move kid." Dean commented looking his nephew up and down. "So your Hela's brother huh? Name's Dean, I'm your dad's brother and this is Cas, your other dad's brother." Dean gestured to Castiel who stood quietly against the wall like a silent sentinel.

Sam smiled at Dean grateful that he was giving his family a chance. Squeezing Slephnir's shoulder Sam quickly headed upstairs to check on his littlest children hoping against hope that the angels hadn't been able to hurt them before Sleph managed to trap them in the panic room.

"We weren't really introduced before, were we? I'm Slephnir, it's nice to meet you. You too Cas." Sleph greeted his uncles before kneeling by the couch to examine his little sister. "What happened? You said you needed my help? Is she okay?" He asked his dad worriedly, hoping they didn't go through all this just for him to loose his sister already.

"She's exhausted and a little beaten up, but she'll recover. The problem is Tael tricked her into letting him use her as a vessel. I'm going to need you make a temporary vessel for him so we can get him out of her." Gabriel explained while gathering some ingredients for a spell to, hopefully, reverse the block on his grace. Sleph nodded his understanding relaxing at the fact that everyone was going to be fine.

"No, we weren't. It's been crazy around here lately. I just wanted to welcome you to the family, I guess. Let's hope it gets better from here on out." Dean spoke watching his little brother disappear up the stairs to his boys. "It's good to meet you Slephnir you've done well." Cas spoke stepping up beside Dean and looking at his nephew.

"Thanks, I guess. I was just protecting my little brothers, it's no big deal. That's what family does, right? I'm just glad everyone's okay." Sleph admitted sheepishly rubbing his neck not used to being praised. In Asgard everyone was expected to be no less then the best so there was rarely any praises for anything.

Gabriel finished finding what he needed and cast the spell. A dim golden light flashed around him and he couldn't help smiling when he felt power return to his body. "Okay step two. Sleph you make the vessel while I take care of my pest of a brother. Then Deano or Cas can finish up by ganking him. Any questions?" Gabriel said changing his clothes with a snap to test his returned grace.

Dean smirked wickedly, he may be a new god and not quite knowing what that all entailed yet but he was eager to show these feathered dicks why it wasn't a good idea to mess with him. "Bring it on trickster."

Upstairs the boys all sat on one of the beds together. Narvi was hugging his twin tightly, trying to keep Vali from crying, while Fenny and Jor were bickering about if they should go check on Sleph. When the door opened all four of them jumped and the two older siblings quickly shut up pointing their angel blades at the 'intruder' keeping the twins behind them protectively.

Sam quickly opened the door upstairs seeing his boys with their angel blades at the ready, looking ready to use them should the need arise. "That's my boys." He praised as he moved into the room easily stepping over a salt line in the process.

Seeing that it was Sam and not an enemy the older boys dropped their blades running over and hugging him tightly, their younger siblings quickly following suit. "I thought you were going to die and go to Valhalla with Grandpa Bobby and I'd never see you again!" Vali cried clinging to Sam as if he'd vanish right then and there as tears started running down his face.

Wrapping his boys in his arms Sam held them tight pressing gentle kisses to their hair to try and calm them down. "It's okay Vali, It's okay. I won't leave you, never again, I promise. Don't cry little one, it's alright. Your dad, uncles and aunt Idunn are going to make sure that those angels rue the day they tried to hurt you I promise." Sam consoled his boys and himself in the process. It helped greatly when he felt the power surge from his lover downstairs. Oh, he hoped the other angels could feel it and were trembling knowing that they had angered not only the archangel of justice but the god of mischief as well. There would be no mercy for them, of that he was sure, and if there was... well the angels sure wouldn't see it as such.

Gabriel kneeled next to his daughter, repeatedly apologizing for the pain he knew she was going to feel before putting a hand on her stomach and carefully reaching into her soul to find his brother's grace. Hela's face contorted with agony and she gave a small scream as Gabriel pulled his brother's grace from her body and pushed it into the empty body Sleph had conjured causing Hela to slump back against the couch. Sleph quickly grabbed the vessel's wrists, before Tael could fly off, and easily spun him around to face Dean while Gabriel gently ran his hand across Hela's forehead calming her back into a peaceful sleep and healing her back into perfect condition. He then walked over to stand next to Sleph giving Dean the okay to do as he wished to the angel thinking it'll be a good stress relief for the older Winchester. "He's all yours, Dean. I'm going to check on my boys and take care of my siblings in the panic room. If you need me just shout." Gabriel said walking upstairs.

Tael's eyes widened in fear realizing that he couldn't run, and his plan had horribly backfired. He was completely at the hunter's mercy and if what he heard is true then there would be none. Not since he had specifically targeted Sam and his family.

Smirking Dean nodded to Cas who snapped a ring of holy fire into existence knowing that due to the apple the fire wouldn't hurt Dean but would keep Tael from fleeing once Gabriel was out of sight. "Now where to begin is the question?" Dean taunted pulling out his borrowed angel blade and stepping across the ring of fire. "But know this you will sing like a caged bird before I'm done with you." Dean snarled before sheathing the blade in Tael's shoulder deliberately choosing a non lethal spot determined to get the info on why his family was targeted and by whom. No one threatened his family and got away with it, and these dicks had threatened Sam and all that Sam loved a definite 'No' in Deans book. "That's strike one. We can carry on like this or you can spill, it's your choice."

Seeing the spark in his uncle's eyes Sleph hopped away from Tael just before Cas conjured the ring of fire. Knowing it might be a while before Dean got Tael to talk he decided to sit on the couch. Moving his sister legs so her feet were in his lap he relaxed going through different plans that might help push his uncles in the right direction.

Tael held his tongue and pain flooded his body. He was no stranger to pain and was determined to stay silent despite Dean's reputation. Heaven's torture, should he speak and be resurrected later, would most likely be worse.

"So we have a tough one, do we? You think heaven is bad? I tutored under the best torturer Hell ever produced so don't test me. When I say sing, you will sing." Dean snarled ignoring Cas's shudder of remembrance of Deans time in the pit, and how the young hunter was when the angel found him, how close he was to becoming the very thing he had hunted all his life. Dean continuing to place various stabs and slashes of veering intensity to the most sensitive parts of the angels body. "I suggest you talk or your wings are next." He threatened.

Snapping his fingers Cas blocked the words and scream's in the room in an attempt to protect both himself and his nephew from the emotional fallout of how dark Dean could go. His hunter wasn't lying when he said that he was now the best torture that had ever existed in the pit and possibly heaven. He hated seeing Dean like this and yet it was necessary to keep their growing family safe. Moving over to the couch Cas sat on the armrest next to his niece and nephew to wait it out.

"Fine! Fine! Sam and Gabriel weren't our real targets, though we were told to take them if we could. We were only told their children were of great importance to the host and to take whatever means necessary to get them separated from you guys. That's it! That's all I know!" Tael shrieked to get the Winchester to stop before he really got into it.

Sleph's eyes drifted shut once Castiel blocked out the sounds and the stress of the day caught up with him. Letting his head fall back onto the couch Slephnir quickly joined his sibling in unconsciousness feeling safe enough with his uncles nearby and parents upstairs.

Withdrawing from the bloodied angel Dean glared, that was almost worse knowing the host was after mere children, but then why did the host want Cas?

"You're not telling me the whole truth. I can tell you're speaking true about the kids but what about Cas? One of your demands was _my_ angel, why?" Dean growled moving to walk around behind the bound angel unconsciously using newly gained powers to force Tael's wings to manifest, harshly grabbing one while positioning himself so Slephnir wouldn't be able to see what he was about to do. After all Tael wouldn't be needing these anyway as there was no way Dean was letting him walk out of here alive.

Whimpering as the hunter forced his wings to manifest and yanked on one Tael answered the hunter knowing it'll be worse if he stayed quiet. "There's old scripture, written by our father himself, that mentions both Gabriel and Castiel by name. We can't read all of it but in what we can they are supposed to rule over heaven with their soul mates. Their children will be given positions of great power. It also mentions a war but that's where the text changes and we can't read any more. Please just kill me, let me keep my wings. I've told you all I know." Tael begged trying to fold his wings out of Dean's hold.

Dean nodded to himself, wondering why he felt so bereft suddenly at the mention of Cas having a soul mate. Shaking it off Dean focused back on the angel in his grasp. "As you wish." He snarled stabbing the angel through his back in a reverse mockery of the wound Lucifer left on Gabriel so long ago watching as blood and grace flooded the room letting the dead angel slip from his hold to fall dead on the floor.

Closing his eyes, Dean tried to focus on himself again pushing the part of him that craved blood and retribution down deep. His family was safe there was no need for that vengeful side of him he thought while concentrating on his breathing, an old technique Bobby taught him. He was so focused he didn't notice Cas snap Tael's body away and clean up the mess letting the silence bubble he had put around Dean pop.

"Dean, it's over now. I trust you learned what we needed?" Cas asked his hunter while moving his nephew to lay beside his sister and enlarging the couch to comfortably fit both deities. "Yeah, Cas, I'm good. Seems like there's more to this then we thought but let's wait till morning. Sammy and his boys need their rest, not to mention Hela with what she went through, this can wait one more night." Dean spoke finally opening his eyes and noticing Cas had cleaned up the mess. "Well, I don't know about you but I'm whipped. Time for bed for me. You know where the guest room is if you plan on sleeping." Dean yawned before turning and heading off to his room. Tomorrow would be long enough as it was without depriving oneself of sleep.

When Gabriel entered the boy's room he wasn't surprised to see Sam holding their boys calming them from their earlier panic. He sighed finally letting himself fully relax now that he was positive everyone was safe and joined his lover on the floor leaning his head on Sam's shoulder tiredly.

"Daddy? Is Hela alright? What happened? We were worried about you because you were hurt." Narvi asked once he saw his dad and his brother's nodded their agreement. Vali had stopped crying but he kept a firm grip on Sam, still worried he might vanish and needing the contact to reassure himself.

Giving their sons a smile Gabriel nodded. "Hela is sleeping right now but she'll be perfectly fine when she wakes up tomorrow. And while I glad you were thinking about me I'm going to be fine too. Your Uncles are taking care of the person who tried to hurt us right now. The only thing you should be worried about is meeting you uncle Dean and Uncle Cas in the morning." Gabriel reassured them just barely noticing how late it was.

The boys relaxed a bit more but they still didn't seem completely satisfied with the situation. Gabriel rolled his eyes knowing what they wanted. "And if it's fine with your mom I guess you can sleep in our room tonight. We aren't going anywhere, I promise." He added causing them to look hopefully at Sam.

Smiling at his family Sam nodded to their boy's silent question. "Of course it's alright. It's been a long and scary day for us all, and I think we could all use this. Plus, with the noise Dean is liable to wring from Tael, I would rather have the boys with us where we can be there should they need us." Sam admitted glad to have all of his most precious people back under one roof. "So with that said I think it's time for bed. You all- yes, Gabriel you included- look ready to drop." Sam quipped before his lover could protest about how angels didn't sleep.

Gabriel smiled as Sam cut him off knowing the hunter was right about him needing the sleep despite having his grace back. He was emotionally, mentally, and physically drained from the day's events. He debated briefly on what to do about his siblings in the panic room before simply snapping his fingers locking them in a pocket dimension where he could take care of it later. His family came first, the angel's punishments could wait. He also snapped himself, Sam, and their boys into pajamas making sure the armor Sam had been wearing was clean and hung in their closet before scooping up the twins. "You heard him, we all ought to get some sleep." He said leading his family back into the other room and once again changing the layout so they could all fit. It felt nice to be able to use his abilities again. Laying both boys down and letting their sibling crawl up nearby he tucked them all in placing a kiss on each of their foreheads before finally letting himself sink into the bed as well.

Smiling as his family snuggled into bed Sam too waited till they were comfortable before taking the side closest to the door wrapping his family in his long arms knowing that subconsciously they all needed the comfort. "Sweet dreams little ones, Gabe, I promise all will be better in the morning."

"Good night." Each of the boys mumbled easily falling asleep in their parent's arms feeling safe and loved. Gabriel smiled sleepily intertwining his fingers with Sam's over their sons needing to have some sort of contact with his lover. "Night Sammy. Love you" He mumbled sounding just as sleepy as the boys.

Squeezing Gabriel's hand tenderly with a little smile at his lover's drowsiness, Sam closed his eyes following his boys into, hopefully, peaceful dreams.


End file.
